Use of Soilless Culture Technique in the Production of Chrysanthemum (Denderanthema grandiflora Ramat) cv.”Zembla”

This research study was carried out during the two successive seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 at the farm located within the vicinity of the Arid lands Agriculture graduated studies and Research Institute (ALARI), Shobra Elkheima, Qalyobia governorate, Egypt, under an unheated plastic-house (25 m length x 9 m width x 3.5 m height). The experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 replications, and the result data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Chrysanthemum (Denderanthema grandiflora Ramat) cv. Zembla was employed in this research imported initially from DELIFLOR Company, in the Netherlands. Seedlings were planted in different substrate cultures to determine the most suitable local mixes for their cultivation and maximum production. Three of them were chosen from the local environment namely Water hyacinth, Palm fiber and Sugar-cane refuse in addition to Sawdust and Peat moss. The seedlings were planted into pots filled with eleven substrate culture mixes as follow: Water hyacinth (WH), WH + peat moss (1:1), Palm fibers (PF), PF + Peat moss (1:1), Coarse sawdust (CS), CS + Peat moss (1:1), Fine sawdust (FS), FS + peat moss (1:1), Sugar-Cane refuse (SC), SC + Peat moss (1:1) and Peat moss. The results indicated that the substrate combination of PF + peat moss (1:1) and WH + peat moss (1:1) gave higher significant values when compared to other remaining substrate with regards to vegetative parameters, i.e. plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant and greenness of leaves as SPAD reading values. Also flower diameter exhibited a higher significant increase when PF + peat moss (1:1) + WH+ peat moss substrate combination was used compared to the other remaining substrates. Flower vase life also was influenced by the local substrate used in bringing up the cut-flowers and showed longer standing in the preservative solution when flowers were obtained from both of WH + peat moss (1:1) and Palm fiber + peat moss (1:1) compared to other substrate culture mixtures.