Regmi Abishkar, Singh Sukhbir, Moustaid-Moussa Naima, Coldren Cade, Simpson Catherine
Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
Plants (Basel). 2022 Feb 11;11(4):491. doi: 10.3390/plants11040491.
Increasing costs and environmental issues regarding excessive use of peat moss is impacting the horticultural industry. Biochar is a valuable substrate additive that has the potential to reduce the use of peatmoss in greenhouse production. However, its varying effects on ornamentals requires that individual species and cultivars of crops must be evaluated to determine the threshold for benefits. is a high value ornamental crop; however, information on how different rates of biochar rates affect productivity and physiology of Viola cultivars in container production is not known. To determine if biochar rates could increase the productivity of Viola, we mixed a peat-based substrate with 10, 25, and 50% (:) hardwood biochar in two studies on four cultivars. Without fertilizers, 10 and 25% biochar improved plant biomass, growth, root length, and flowering, but 50% biochar was found to have negative effects on plant growth and flowering. Cultivars varied in their response to biochar rates. When fertilizer was applied in the second experiment, biochar rates did not impact growth parameters or flowering. These results suggest that up to 25% biochar can be used in Viola production without detrimental impacts. However, 50% biochar can be used with the addition of fertilizer without negatively affecting plant growth. Biochar can have a short-term impact on the growth characteristics of Viola plants in container production, but fertilization and growing period of Viola may influence these effects. These results indicate that biochar could be the suitable replacement for peat moss, with up to 50% biochar rate in Viola production reducing the environmental and economic burden for peat moss.
泥炭藓过度使用带来的成本增加和环境问题正在影响园艺产业。生物炭是一种有价值的基质添加剂，有潜力减少温室生产中泥炭藓的使用。然而，其对观赏植物的不同影响要求必须对作物的各个品种进行评估，以确定受益阈值。三色堇是一种高价值观赏作物；然而，关于不同生物炭添加比例如何影响容器栽培中三色堇品种的生产力和生理特性，目前尚不清楚。为了确定生物炭添加比例是否能提高三色堇的生产力，我们在两项针对四个品种的研究中，将基于泥炭的基质与10%、25%和50%（体积比）的硬木生物炭混合。在不施肥的情况下，10%和25%的生物炭提高了植物生物量、生长、根长和开花量，但发现50%的生物炭对植物生长和开花有负面影响。不同品种对生物炭添加比例的反应各不相同。在第二个实验中施肥时，生物炭添加比例并未影响生长参数或开花情况。这些结果表明，在三色堇生产中可使用高达25%的生物炭而无不利影响。然而，添加肥料时可使用50%的生物炭而不会对植物生长产生负面影响。生物炭可能会对容器栽培中三色堇植株的生长特性产生短期影响，但三色堇的施肥情况和生长周期可能会影响这些效果。这些结果表明，生物炭可能是泥炭藓的合适替代品，在三色堇生产中生物炭添加比例高达50%可减轻泥炭藓带来的环境和经济负担。
