Cristiano Giuseppe, Vuksani Gjok, Tufarelli Vincenzo, De Lucia Barbara
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural University of Tirana, Koder Kamez, 1029 Tirane, Albania.
Plants (Basel). 2018 Mar 22;7(2):24. doi: 10.3390/plants7020024.
The most common substrate for potted ornamental plants is prepared with peat; however, the cost and declining availability of high-quality peat, due to environmental constraints, make it necessary to investigate for alternative organic materials. The present study aimed to determine the effects of partial compost replacement with peat and the optimum electrical conductivity (EC) level of the nutrient solution in potted weeping lantana [ (Spreng.) Briq.] under a recirculating soilless system. Three compost-based substrates were prepared by mixing peat (Pe) with sewage sludge-based compost (Co.) at a rate of 0% (Pe90Co0Pu10, control), 30% (Pe60Co30Pu10), or 60% (Pe30Co60Pu10), respectively. The soilless recirculated closed system was equipped with two different EC levels (high and low) of nutrient solution. Growing media main characteristics and plant bio-morphometric parameters were evaluated. Our first evidence clearly demonstrates that the replacement of peat with compost at doses of 30% and 60% gave the poorest results for plant diameter, shoots, leaves, flowers, and fresh and dry mass, probably indicating that the physical characteristics of the compost based substrates may be the major factor governing plant growth rate. Compost media pH and EC values, too, showed negative effects on plant growth. Considering the effect of EC level, all morphological traits were significantly improved by high EC compared to low EC in weeping lantana. Thus, based on first evidence, further research is needed on organic materials for the establishment of ecological substrates with optimal physicochemical characteristics for the growth of weeping lantana.
盆栽观赏植物最常用的基质是用泥炭制备的；然而，由于环境限制，高质量泥炭的成本不断上升且供应日益减少，因此有必要研究替代有机材料。本研究旨在确定在循环无土系统下，用堆肥部分替代泥炭以及营养液的最佳电导率（EC）水平对盆栽垂花马缨丹[（Spreng.）Briq.]的影响。通过将泥炭（Pe）与污水污泥基堆肥（Co.）分别以0%（Pe90Co0Pu10，对照）、30%（Pe60Co30Pu10）或60%（Pe30Co60Pu10）的比例混合，制备了三种基于堆肥的基质。无土循环封闭系统配备了两种不同EC水平（高和低）的营养液。对生长介质的主要特性和植物生物形态参数进行了评估。我们的初步证据清楚地表明，用30%和60%剂量的堆肥替代泥炭，在植物直径、茎、叶、花以及鲜重和干重方面的结果最差，这可能表明基于堆肥的基质的物理特性可能是控制植物生长速率的主要因素。堆肥介质的pH值和EC值对植物生长也有负面影响。考虑到EC水平的影响，与低EC相比，高EC显著改善了垂花马缨丹的所有形态特征。因此，基于初步证据，需要进一步研究有机材料，以建立具有最佳理化特性的生态基质，用于垂花马缨丹的生长。
