Articles
ANALYTICS OF SUBSTRATES AND PROBLEMS BY TRANSMITTING THE RESULTS INTO HORTICULTURAL PRACTICE
Strict control of primary substrate materials and finished products should be self-evident to the substrate producer as well as to the user.
On an European basis mainly substrates with peat as a component or pure peat culture substrates are being applied in horticulture today.
These substrates have a very low bulk density of about 60 – 300 g dry matter/l and are rather easy to compress.
Bulk density, i.e. the dry matter content per volume, usually expressed in g/l, is strongly influenced by the procedure for measurement.
The measured bulk density does not necessarily correlate with the state of compaction of the substrate in practice.
Filling flats, potting or blocking causes different states of compaction.
This might result in false substrate estimations.
Since business on the substrate market is transacted internationally and most countries have different methods for measurement and various standards of interpretation being specified, disputations concerning a substrate’s condition often emerge having two analytical results.
A substrate can be judged in different ways.
The situation is untenable.
It should be the assignment of this ISHS section to work together closely with all institutes engaged in substrate analysis and to come to an understanding and thereby succeed in attaining conformity in procedures and interpretation.
The following goals should be aimed at:
- International conformity of procedures for measurement
- Statement of procedure for measurement on the analysis report
- International use of standard reference samples for laboratory testing, respectively for lab control
- Standardization of procedure for measurement, e.g. determination of bulk density in close relation to practice
Should these goals be achieved in the near future a much better transmission of analytical results into practice could be assured.