Substrate Amendment Effects on Potted Plant Production and Dry Weight Partition of Lantana camara

Ten substrates were evaluated for their capacity to promote the growth of potted Lantana camara. The substrates consisted of different volumetric proportions of sandy loam soil (S), peat (P), perlite (Per), and urea formaldehyde resin foam (UFRF referred to as F), the latter in an effort to substitute peat use in horticulture. The substrates studied were: S, S60:P40, S40:P60, S60:F40, S40:F60, P60:F40, P40:F60, S40:P30:Per30, S40:F30:Per30, and P50:Per50. Measurements included: 1) substrate physical and chemical characteristics such as water characteristic curves, bulk density, total porosity, easily available water, and pH; 2) biometric measurements such as shoot length and number and number of flowers; and 3) determination of main and lateral stems, leaf, flower, and root dry weights. Results showed that substrates P60:F40 and P40:F60 retained excessive water in all tensions, whereas substrate P50:Per50 exhibited increased water retention at saturation that was quickly reduced after 10 cm of tension. The non-amended soil (S) had the least water retention capacity and proved to be a slow-draining substrate. Supplementation either with peat or peat and perlite (S60:P40, S40:P60, and S40:P30:Per30) significantly increased water retention in the soil-based substrates. Soil-based substrates supplemented with UFRF retained less water compared with peat-amended soil-based substrates. Concerning plant growth, Lantana plants growing in the UFRF-amended substrates were unable to recover from frost injury and their evaluation was interrupted after winter as a result of total plant loss. The injury was attributed to the reduction of plant growth in UFRF-supplemented substrates before the occurrence of frost stress events. Soil-based substrates (S, S60:P40, S40:P60, and S40:P30:Per30) provided greater shoot growth, which was almost twofold compared with substrate P50:Per50. Substrate S40:P30:Per30 produced the most lateral shoots and flowers over the whole study period, whereas S40:P60 produced the most flowers during the summer. Dry weights of both stem and lateral stems followed a similar pattern with the biometric measurements. However the non-amended soil (S) produced the highest leaf and root dry weights followed by substrates S60:P40 and S40:P60. It was concluded that both substrates S40:P60 and S40:P30:Per30 can successfully be used for Lantana nursery production as a result of their decreased bulk density, increased water retention capacity, adequate porosity, and promotion of shoot growth and flowering. Despite its high bulk density, substrate S could be used in the production of Lantana plants for landscape use as a result of the increased root production.