Effects of compost media on growth and flowering of parviflorous garden pansy (Viola x wittrockiana Gams.). Part I. Plant growth and conformation

Agnieszka Zawadzińska,Dorota Janicka

doi:10.5586/aa.2007.045

Abstract

The aim of the studies was to determine the effects of media with composts, based on sewage sludge and potato pulp, on the growth and conformation of the cultivar 'Butterfl y Yellow with Blotch'. In the experiment 14 potting media, including 12 media made of 4 composts, were tested. The percentage of compost mixed with sphagnum peat was 25%, 50% and 75%. The components of particular composts were as follows: I - municipal sewage sludge 70% and straw 30%; II - municipal sewage sludge 70% and sawdust 30%; III - municipal sewage sludge 35%, potato pulp 35% and straw 30%; IV - municipal sewage sludge 35%, potato pulp 35% and sawdust 30%. Two control potting media were used: 1 - sphagnum peat with Osmocote Exact Lo-Start at the dose 5 g×dm<sup>-3</sup>, and 2 - sphagnum peat with Azofoska at the dose 2.5 g×dm<sup>-3</sup>. There was no top-dressing during cultivation. The potting media used for pansy cultivation were rich in essential nutrients and in certain media macroelement content exceeded the limits recommended for the species with great nutrient requirements. The effects of the media on the growth, conformation and foliage of pansies depended on compost composition and its pecentage in a medium. The composts used for the media were found to be suitable for pansy cultivation. Despite smaller leaf rosettes in comparison with control plants, the pansies from compost media grew well and showed no disease symptoms.

Highlights

The garden pansy (Viola × wittrockiana Gams.) (Erhardt et al 2002), a plant of moderate climate, belongs to the most popular early spring ornamental plants
The pansies cultivated in the medium 11 – with 75% of compost made from sewage sludge, potato pulp and straw, did not differ significantly from them in their conformation
Our studies revealed that pansies tolerate 75% of composts containing from 70-35% of sewage sludge in the medium, but their conformation depends on compost composition and the percentage of compost in the medium; the plant height and diameter can either increase or decrease with the compost content increase

Summary

Introduction

The garden pansy (Viola × wittrockiana Gams.) (Erhardt et al 2002), a plant of moderate climate, belongs to the most popular early spring ornamental plants. E.g. straw, compost, bark, sawmill waste or coconut fibre, may be an alternative to peat (Jaroszek and Słowińska - Jurkiewicz , 2003). Studies on this kind of materials as media components are conducted abroad, especially in USA (Gouin , 1992; Andre et al 2002). In Poland studies showed favourable properties of composts from municipal sewage sludge used in agriculture and green area reclamation (Krzywy et al 2002; Karoń and Piert , 2006). In the year 2003 at Szczecin University of Agriculture, studies were undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of municipal sewage sludge composts for the culivation of several species of ornamental plants (Krzywy et al 2007)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion