Articles
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PEATS AND OTHER MEDIA FOR CONTAINERIZED FOREST TREE SEEDLINGS
Article number
150_48
Pages
449 – 458
Language
Abstract
Peats and other substrates were examined as media for raising forest tree seedlings in polybag container.
The peats and topsoil media were limed to raise the pH of the substrates to the range of 4.5 – 5.2, and all media were given complete nutrient fertilization.
Using Eucalyptus urophylla and Eucalyptus deglupta as test plants it was found that ombrogenous peats from South Sumatra and from West Kalimantan were capable of producing satisfactory and healthy seedlings.
The standard seedling height for transfer to the field of 25 cm was reached 1 to 2 months earlier than would normally be achieved on standard topsoil dominated medium.
Plant growth as measured in terms of height, stem diameter, and dry weight, was markedly superior on the peat media than on non-peat media.
Plant growth was comparable or superior on the ombrogenous peats relative to growth on the sphagnum peat.
Growth of both species on the topsoil medium (a red-yellow podzolic) was severely retarded, and the plants exhibited severe symptoms such as chlorosis and necrosis.
Plant growth on sawdust and on coconut coir-fibre was also severely retarded, while complete growth failure was obtained on the rice husk medium.
For E. urophylla, mortality rate at harvest (57 days from planting) was low on the ombrogenous peats (0–10%), moderate on the sphagnum peat, topsoil, and sawdust (40–50%), and high on the coconut coir-fibre and rice husk (100%). For E. deglupta all plants survived on the ombrogenous peats, sphagnum peat, and sawdust, whereas mortality rates on the topsoil, coconut coir-fibre, and rice husk were 10%, 40%, and 100%, respectively.
The peats and topsoil media were limed to raise the pH of the substrates to the range of 4.5 – 5.2, and all media were given complete nutrient fertilization.
Using Eucalyptus urophylla and Eucalyptus deglupta as test plants it was found that ombrogenous peats from South Sumatra and from West Kalimantan were capable of producing satisfactory and healthy seedlings.
The standard seedling height for transfer to the field of 25 cm was reached 1 to 2 months earlier than would normally be achieved on standard topsoil dominated medium.
Plant growth as measured in terms of height, stem diameter, and dry weight, was markedly superior on the peat media than on non-peat media.
Plant growth was comparable or superior on the ombrogenous peats relative to growth on the sphagnum peat.
Growth of both species on the topsoil medium (a red-yellow podzolic) was severely retarded, and the plants exhibited severe symptoms such as chlorosis and necrosis.
Plant growth on sawdust and on coconut coir-fibre was also severely retarded, while complete growth failure was obtained on the rice husk medium.
For E. urophylla, mortality rate at harvest (57 days from planting) was low on the ombrogenous peats (0–10%), moderate on the sphagnum peat, topsoil, and sawdust (40–50%), and high on the coconut coir-fibre and rice husk (100%). For E. deglupta all plants survived on the ombrogenous peats, sphagnum peat, and sawdust, whereas mortality rates on the topsoil, coconut coir-fibre, and rice husk were 10%, 40%, and 100%, respectively.
Authors
B. Radjagukguk, . , O. Soeseno, .
Keywords
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