Effects of Mixed Hardwood and Sugarcane Biochar as Bark-Based Substrate Substitutes on Container Plants Production and Nutrient Leaching

Ping Yu,Qiansheng Li,Isabel M Lima,Paul M White,Mengmeng Gu,Lan Huang

doi:10.3390/agronomy10020156

Ping Yu, Qiansheng Li + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020156

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Abstract

Biochar (BC) has the potential to replace bark-based commercial substrates in the production of container plants. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of mixed hardwood biochar (HB) and sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB) to replace the bark-based commercial substrate. A bark-based commercial substrate was incorporated with either HB at 50% (vol.) or SBB at 50% and 70% (vol.), with a bark-based commercial substrate being used as the control. The total porosity (TP) and container capacity (CC) of all SBB-incorporated mixes were slightly higher than the recommended value, while, the others were within the recommended range. Both tomato and basil plants grown in the BC-incorporated mixes had a similar or higher growth index (GI), leaf greenness (indicated by soil-plant analyses development), and yield than the control. The leachate of all mixes had the highest NO3–N concentration in the first week after transplantation (1 WAT). All BC-incorporated mixes grown with both tomato and basil had similar NO3–N concentration to the control (except 50% SBB at 1 and 5 WAT, and 50% HB at 5 WAT with tomato plants; 50% SBB at 5 WAT with basil plants). In conclusion, HB could replace bark-based substrates at 50% and SBB at 70% for both tomato and basil plant growth, without negative effects.

Highlights

Both tomato and basil are important crops and 95% of tomato and basil are produced in soilless cultivation systems using different horticultural growing substrates [1]
The composition used in this study was chosen because a previous study had showed that 70% of hardwood biochar (HB) can be successfully incorporated with peat moss based commercial substrates and with composts for tomato and basil production [29], and 50% of sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB) can be used for petunia growth
Sugarcane bagasse BC and pinewood BC mixes had similar physical properties to commercial growing mix, allowing them to be acceptable for bean and cucurbit seedlings production, even though some of the total porosity (TP) and CC in the SBB-incorporated mixes were slightly higher than the recommended values [44]

Summary

Introduction

Both tomato and basil are important crops and 95% of tomato and basil are produced in soilless cultivation systems using different horticultural growing substrates [1]. Tomato is one of the most important horticulture crops, with a total production estimated to be at 164 MT worldwide [2]. Tomato can be grown in coconut fiber, and perlite alone or in mixture with peat, and produce good yields [3]. 50% coco–peat mixed with 50% perlite was recommended for tomato seedling production [4]. Basil is an annual herb that is commercially important for its medical and culinary purposes [5,6]. Basil plants can be grown in 75% sphagnum peat moss mixed with 25% coarse perlite [7]

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