Evaluation of Different Potted Medium Containing Various Ratios of Organic and Inorganic Substrates on Ficus benjamina cv. Starlight

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• fatemeh bidarnamani ¹
• hossein zarei ²
• kambiz mashayekhi ²
• mehdi shabanipoor ³

¹ university of zabol

² Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

³ Islamic Azad University of Arak

10.22067/jhorts4.v30i1.40914

Abstract

To compare the effect of the substrate on the cultivation of ornamental plants, Ficus benjamina cv. star light was chosen as a model plant. Nine treatments from 8 types of substrates with 6 replications were investigated in this study. Data analysis with SPSS software in (P≤0.05) showed the effect of different month were significant on stem diameter, height, leaf number and total length of new leaves. Also application of different substrates showed the effect of substrate wasn’t significant on stem diameter and plant height, while it was significant on number of new leaf, number of new lateral shoot and total length of new leaf. The interaction between the substrates and measuring time was significant on plant height, number of new leaf and total length of new leaf, but it wasn’t significant on increasing rate of stem diameter. According to the result of this study, substrate n containing [1/3 (3 perlite+1 sand) + 1/3 (1 leaf-mold+ 1 rice hull+ 1 cocopeat) + 1/3 (2 mushroom compost+ 1 forest trees compost+ 1 rotted manure)] was the best substrate as for the most number of new leaf, number of new lateral shoots and total length of new leaf, also it was in suitable situation in height characteristic. Also in different measured month, the value of plant growth was increased with enhancement in air temperature in spring and summer seasons; insofar as the most increasing in plant height and number of new leaf were observed on July. So it is better that the plants growing should be delayed to warm seasons.

Keywords

• Ficus benjamina
• perlite
• leaf-mold
• Cocopeat
• growing

20.1001.1.20084730.1395.30.1.5.0

---

References

1- Abad M., Noguera P., Bures S. 2001. National inventory of organic Wastes for use as growing media for ornamental potted plant Production: case study in Spain. Biores. Technology. 77: 197–200.

2- Bailey D. and Whipker B. 1998. Height control of commercial greenhouse flowers. NC. Coop. Ext. Serv. Horticulture Information Leaflet 528.

3- Chen Y., Inbar Y., and Hadar Y. 1988. Composted agricultural wastes as potting media for ornamental plants. Soil Science 145: 298-303.

4- Conover C.A., and Poole R.T. 1987. Effect of potting medium temperatures on curves of slow-release fertilizers in the presence of ficus benjamina. Florida State Horticultural Society. 100:357-360.

5- Di Benedetto A., Petracchi J.C., Marcella G., Montaron P. and Chavez W. 2006. Evaluation of alternative substrates for bedding plants. International Journal of Agricultural Research. 1(6): 545-554.

6- Ghasemi Ghehsareh M., and Kafi M. 2010. Scientific and practical floricultural (volume 2). 396 pp.

7- Karimi V. 2005. Evaluation of tea waste compost, the tree bark and rice hulls to provide a suitable medium for replacing the peat in Dieffenbachia growing (Dieffenbachia amoena). MSc thesis. Gilan University. 2 pp.

8- Khayyat M., Nazari F., and Salehi H. 2007. Effects of Different Pot Mixtures on Pothos (Epipremnum aureum Lindl.) and Andre ‘Golden Pothos’) Growth and Development. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural & Environment Science. 2 (4):341-348. In Persian.

9- Lao M.T., and Jimenez S. 2004. Evaluation of almond shell as a culture substrate for ornamental plants. ΙΙ. Ficus benjamina. International Journal of Experimental Botany. pp 79-84.

10- Lee Y.S., and Bartlett R.J. 1976. Stimulation of plant growth by humic substances. Soil Science Society of America Journal 40: 876-879.

11- Mahboob khamami A. 2009. Effect of kind and amount of vermicompost in potted medium on Ficus benjamina cv. star light. Seed and plant journal. 24 (2), 333-346. In Persian.

12- Mahboob khamami A., and Padash dehkaii M.N. 2010. Effect of Composted Azolla in Different Growth Media on Growth and Nutrient Elements Composition in Ficus benjamina Plant cv. Starlight. Seed and Plant Production Journal. 25-2. volume 4: 417-430. In Persian.

13- Matsiak B., and Nowak J. 1998. Acclimatization and the growth of Ficus benjamina micro cuttings as affected by carbon dioxide concentration. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 73(2): 185-188.

14- Papafotiou M., Kargas G., and Lytra I. 2005. Olive-mill waste compost as a growth medium component for foliage potted plants. HortScience 40: 1746-1750.

15- Pishbin A. 2008. Flower of apartment and consultation of plant protection. Norpardazan publications. 160-161 pp. In Persian.

16- Yonis A., Riaz Atif R., Waseem M., Asif Khan M., and Nadeem M. 2010. Production of Quality Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) plants by using different growing media. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural & Environment Science, 7(2): 232-237.