Effect of composition of agricultural wastes and biochar as a growing media on the growth of potted Stock (Matthiola incana) and Geranium (Pelargonium spp)

Abstract

The reuse of organic wastes in agriculture is an appropriate method for environment management and providing nutrients to the plants. The objective of this study is to utilize possibility of agricultural waste as component of growing media and comparative evaluation of best potting media for flower production. The research was conducted at Floriculture Research Area, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. There were total four treatments (garden soil, biochar + peat moss + leaf compost, leaf compost + soil, peanut shell compost + soil, rice straw + soil). Each treatment was replicated three times, having 10 plants each. Different agricultural waste materials such as leaf compost, peanut shell compost, rice straw and biochar were used as source for quality growth of Stock and Geranium. Physio-chemical analysis (N, P, K, pH, EC) were best in the growing media comprising biochar + peat moss + leaf compost. The experiment was arranged according to Completely Randomized Design (CRD) under factorial arrangement. The results regarding maximum plant height (57.4 cm), number of leaves per plant (62.5), root length (43.1 cm), number of flowers (31.6), flower diameter (4.8 cm), evapotranspiration rate (7.38 mol/m2/s), transpiration rate (46.4 mmol/m2/s) and leaf total chlorophyll contents (81.0 SPAD) were recorded in biochar + peat moss + leaf compost media while maximum leaf area (46.58 cm2), photosynthetic rate (2.11 μmol m2/s), stomatal conductance (1.73 mol/m2/s), respiration rate (416.67), internal CO2 (375.67) and minimum days to first flower emergence (43.8) were observed in peanut shell + soil media. Statistically all the parameters were positively correlated with each other.