Articles
Growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis with various bottom ash and coir dust substrate mixes
Article number
1262_14
Pages
93 – 100
Language
English
Abstract
Bottom ash (BA) is a residue of coal combustion from thermal power stations and may be used as an alternative substrate for horticultural plants with excellent drainage capacity.
The effects of different mixing ratios of BA and coir dust on the growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis were investigated in this study.
BA (particle size >5 mm) was mixed with coir dust to obtain ratios of 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1 (coir dust:BA, v/v), and sphagnum moss was used as the control medium for cultivating Phalaenopsis in Korea. Phalaenopsis OP2 seedlings grown for 15 months in transparent plastic pots of 7.5 cm diameter were transplanted into a 10.5-cm diameter transparent plastic pot containing sphagnum moss or mixtures of BA and coir dust and grown for 4 months in an experimental glasshouse at Korea University.
After harvest, there were no significant differences in the number of leaves, span length, leaf thickness, leaf length, leaf width, and leaf area among the plants potted with different substrate mixing ratios of BA and coir dust.
There were no significant differences in the number of flower stalks, flower height, flower width, flower stalk length, and flower stalk thickness among the treatments.
Substrate with BA ratios up to 50% may be applicable for the growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis despite BA not having excellent water holding ability.
This was because Phalaenopsis requires adequate air space and is adaptable to root drying.
These results provide useful data for utilising BA as a substrate material for Phalaenopsis cultivation.
The effects of different mixing ratios of BA and coir dust on the growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis were investigated in this study.
BA (particle size >5 mm) was mixed with coir dust to obtain ratios of 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1 (coir dust:BA, v/v), and sphagnum moss was used as the control medium for cultivating Phalaenopsis in Korea. Phalaenopsis OP2 seedlings grown for 15 months in transparent plastic pots of 7.5 cm diameter were transplanted into a 10.5-cm diameter transparent plastic pot containing sphagnum moss or mixtures of BA and coir dust and grown for 4 months in an experimental glasshouse at Korea University.
After harvest, there were no significant differences in the number of leaves, span length, leaf thickness, leaf length, leaf width, and leaf area among the plants potted with different substrate mixing ratios of BA and coir dust.
There were no significant differences in the number of flower stalks, flower height, flower width, flower stalk length, and flower stalk thickness among the treatments.
Substrate with BA ratios up to 50% may be applicable for the growth and flowering of Phalaenopsis despite BA not having excellent water holding ability.
This was because Phalaenopsis requires adequate air space and is adaptable to root drying.
These results provide useful data for utilising BA as a substrate material for Phalaenopsis cultivation.
Publication
Authors
Y.H. Rhie, S. Nam, J. Kim
Keywords
air space, coal, media, moisture container capacity, orchid, sphagnum moss
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