Abstract
Increasing demand for sustainable and low-cost alternatives to peat is a challenge in the production of container-grown plants. Biochar (BC) and compost, as eco-friendly materials, could be used to completely or partially substitute for peat. However, information regarding plant responses to the substitution is limited. This study evaluated effects of the amendment of a BC or a BC-compost mixture (BioComp) to a peat-based substrate at 20% by volume on the growth of Syngonium podophyllum. BC was pyrolyzed from wheat straw at 350 °C. Compost was made from farm green waste. BC or BioComp amendment elevated the pH and electrical conductivity of formulated substrates and improved plant growth. Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and chlorophyll in leaves and the net photosynthetic rate of plants grown in BC or BioComp amended substrates were significantly higher than those grown in the control substrate. Total soluble protein and total phenolic contents were greater in plants grown in BC- or BioComp-amended substrates as well, but no significant difference occurred in reactive oxygen-related enzymatic activities, reducing power or proline contents across substrates. Our results show that BC or BioComp can be used to replace 20% of peat by volume, and such replacement enhanced S. podophyllum growth.
Highlights
The production of container-grown plants has increased significantly [1,2]
Plants grown in BC and BioComp substrates had increased canopy height, leaf number, leaf fresh-weight, and root fresh and dry weights compared to those grown in the control substrate (Table 3)
The present study investigated physical and chemical properties of three peat-based substrates amended with or without BC or BioComp and their use for the production of an important ornamental foliage plant, Syngonium, and evaluated morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of the plant grown in the substrates
Summary
The production of container-grown plants has increased significantly [1,2]. A distinct feature of container production is that plants are grown in confined volume filled with growing medium or substrate [4]. In Europe, the volume of organic substrate used for the nursery sector amounts to 34.6 million m3 per annum, of which 27 million m3 is composed of peat [7]. Peat has become costlier for commercial use [5,11], and there is an increasing need for alternative organic materials to replace or partially replace peat for the production of container plants [5,12,13]
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