Growth of Cyclamen in Biocontainers on an Ebb-and-Flood Subirrigation System

The objective for this research was to evaluate the growth of a long-term crop in biodegradable containers compared with traditional plastic containers using a subirrigation system. Plastic, bioplastic, solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, paper, peat, dairy manure, wood fiber, rice straw, and coconut fiber containers were used to evaluate plant growth of ‘Rainier Purple’ cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) in ebb-and-flood subirrigation benches. The days to flower ranged from 70 to 79 and there were no significant differences between the plastic containers and the biocontainers. The dry shoot weights ranged from 23.9 to 37.4 g. Plants grown in plastic containers had dry shoot weights of 27.6 g. The dry shoot weight of plants grown in containers composed of wood fiber was 23.9 g and was lower than plants grown in plastic containers. The plants grown in the bioplastic, solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, paper, peat, dairy manure, rice straw, and coconut fiber containers had significantly higher dry shoot weights than plants grown in plastic containers. Dry root weights ranged from 3.0 to 4.0 g. The plants grown in the plastic containers had dry root weights of 3.0 g. Plants grown in paper and wood fiber containers had higher dry root weights than those grown in plastic containers. The only container that negatively affected plant growth was the wood fiber container. Plants preformed the best in solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, and coconut fiber containers based on dry shoot and dry root weights, but all containers were successfully used to produce marketable cyclamen plants.

Download Full-text

Physical Properties of Biocontainers Used to Grow Long-term Greenhouse Crops in an Ebb-and-flood Irrigation System

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.48.6.732 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 48 (6) ◽

pp. 732-737 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stephanie A. Beeks ◽

Michael R. Evans

Keyword(s):

Tensile Strength ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Rice Straw ◽

Wood Fiber ◽

Fungal Growth ◽

Dairy Manure ◽

Similar Amount ◽

Coconut Fiber ◽

Irrigation Interval ◽

Plastic Containers

The physical properties of new 15.2-cm plastic and comparably sized bioplastic, solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, paper, peat, dairy manure, wood fiber, rice straw, and coconut fiber containers were determined. Additionally, the physical properties of these containers were determined after being used to grow ‘Rainier Purple’ cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum L.) in ebb-and-flood benches for 15 weeks in a greenhouse environment. The punch strength of new coconut fiber containers was the highest of the containers. The used plastic containers had strengths of 228.0, 230.5, and 215.2 N for the bottom, middle, and top zones, respectively. The used peat, dairy manure, and wood fiber containers had strengths of less than 15 N for each zone. Tensile strength of all new containers was 10 kg. The plastic, bioplastic, solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, paper, and coconut fiber containers had used strengths that were similar to plastic containers. Total water used for wood fiber containers was higher than plastic containers. Irrigation intervals for plastic containers were similar to bioplastic, solid ricehull, slotted ricehull, paper, and coconut fiber containers. The irrigation interval for plastic containers was 1.32 days and the wood fiber container had the shortest irrigation interval at 0.61 day. Container absorption for coconut fiber containers was 255 mL and was higher than plastic containers. Wood fiber container absorption was 141 mL and lower than plastic containers. Plastic, bioplastic, solid ricehull, and slotted ricehull containers had no visible algal or fungal growth. The wood fiber containers had 79% of the container walls covered with algae or fungi and the bottom and middle zones had 100% algae or fungi coverage. The bottom zone of rice straw, dairy manure, and peat containers also had 100% algae or fungi coverage. The bioplastic, solid ricehull, and slotted ricehull containers in this study proved to be good substitutes for plastic containers. These containers retained high levels of punch and tensile strength, had no algal and fungal growth, and required a similar amount of solution as the plastic containers to grow a cyclamen crop. The peat, dairy manure, wood fiber, and rice straw containers proved not to be appropriate substitutes for plastic containers because of the low used strengths, high percentage of algal and fungal coverage, and shorter irrigation intervals as compared with plastic containers.

Download Full-text

Impact of Biocontainers With and Without Shuttle Trays on Water Use in the Production of a Containerized Ornamental Greenhouse Crop

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.25.1.35 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 35-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michael R. Evans ◽

Andrew K. Koeser ◽

Guihong Bi ◽

Susmitha Nambuthiri ◽

Robert Geneve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Catharanthus Roseus ◽

Water Loss ◽

Wood Fiber ◽

Dairy Manure ◽

Rice Hull ◽

Total Water ◽

Coconut Fiber ◽

Irrigation Interval ◽

Plastic Containers ◽

Reduced Water

Nine commercially available biocontainers and a plastic control were evaluated at Fayetteville, AR, and Crystal Springs, MS, to determine the irrigation interval and total water required to grow a crop of ‘Cooler Grape’ vinca (Catharanthus roseus) with or without the use of plastic shuttle trays. Additionally, the rate at which water passed through the container wall of each container was assessed with or without the use of a shuttle tray. Slotted rice hull, coconut fiber, peat, wood fiber, dairy manure, and straw containers were constructed with water-permeable materials or had openings in the container sidewall. Such properties increased the rate of water loss compared with more impermeable bioplastic, solid rice hull, and plastic containers. This higher rate of water loss resulted in most of the biocontainers having a shorter irrigation interval and a higher water requirement than traditional plastic containers. Placing permeable biocontainers in plastic shuttle trays reduced water loss through the container walls. However, irrigation demand for these containers was still generally higher than that of the plastic control containers.

Download Full-text

Physical Properties of Biocontainers for Greenhouse Crops Production

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.20.3.549 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 549-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Michael R. Evans ◽

Matt Taylor ◽

Jeff Kuehny

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Surface Area ◽

Rice Straw ◽

Water Loss ◽

Substrate Surface ◽

Dairy Manure ◽

Rice Hull ◽

Coconut Fiber ◽

Greenhouse Crops ◽

Plastic Containers

The vertical dry strength of rice hull containers was the highest of all containers tested. Plastic containers and paper containers had similar vertical dry strengths. Containers composed of 80% cedar fiber and 20% peat (Fertil), composted dairy manure (Cowpot), and peat had lower dry vertical dry strengths than the aforementioned containers but had higher vertical dry strengths than those composed of bioplastic (OP47), coconut fiber, and rice straw. Rice hull containers and paper containers had the highest lateral dry strengths. Rice straw, Cowpot, and plastic containers had similar dry lateral strengths, which were significantly higher than those of OP47, Fertil, coconut fiber, and peat containers. Highest dry punch strengths occurred with traditional plastic and Cowpot containers, while the lowest dry punch strengths occurred with OP47, Fertil, coconut fiber, peat, and rice straw containers. Plastic, rice hull, and paper containers had the highest wet vertical and lateral strengths. Plastic containers had the highest wet punch strength, while Fertil, Cowpot, and peat containers had the lowest wet punch strengths. When saturated substrate was placed into containers and the substrate surface and drainage holes were sealed with wax, plastic, OP47, and rice hull containers had the lowest rates of water loss per unit of container surface area, while peat, Fertil, and rice straw containers had the highest rates of water loss per unit of container surface area. The amounts of water required to produce a geranium (Pelargonium ×hortorum) crop were significantly higher and the average irrigation intervals were shorter for peat, Fertil, coconut fiber, Cowpot, and rice straw containers than for traditional plastic containers. The amounts of water required to produce a geranium crop and the average irrigation intervals were similar among plastic, rice hull, and OP47 containers. Algal and fungal coverage on the outside container walls averaged 47% and 26% for peat and Fertil containers, respectively, and was higher than for all other containers tested, which had 4% or less algal and fungal coverage. After 8 weeks in the field, Cowpot containers had decomposed 62% and 48% in the Pennsylvania and Louisiana locations, respectively. Peat, rice straw, and Fertil containers decomposed 32%, 28%, and 24%, respectively, in Pennsylvania, and 10%, 9%, and 2%, respectively, in Louisiana. Coconut fiber containers had the lowest level of decomposition at 4% and 1.5% in Pennsylvania and Louisiana, respectively.

Download Full-text

Growth and Nodulation of Provenances of Casuarina cunninghamiana Inoculated With a Range of Frankia Sources

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt9880171 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 171 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

AI Fleming ◽

ER Williams ◽

JW Turnbull

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Root Nodules ◽

A Priori ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Seed Sources ◽

Affected Plant ◽

Casuarina Cunninghamiana ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Major River ◽

Shoot Weight

Seed and root nodules (for use as a Frankia inoculum) collected from 18 provenances of Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq. were used in a complete cross-inoculation experiment conducted in a glasshouse. The provenances covered the geographical range of the species and represented major river systems. They were arranged a priori into five groups according to geographical location. Seventeen of the inocula were effective on seed from all provenances; one inoculum failed to nodulate seedlings from any provenance. Inoculum source, seed source and their interaction all affected plant growth. Greatest shoot weight was obtained with seed and inoculum combinations from similar geographical regions, particularly northern inocula with northern seed sources and southern inocula with southern seed sources. When averaged over all seed sources northern inocula were the most generally effective in promoting plant growth. In contrast, when averaged over all inoculum sources, southern seed sources grew best. These results demonstrate the potential for improving the effectiveness of the C. cunninghamiana-Frankia association in forestry by selection of the symbiotic partners.

Download Full-text

Soil mineralization as effects of plant growth promoting bacteria isolated from microalgae in wastewater and rice straw application in a long-term paddy rice in Central Viet Nam

Environmental Technology & Innovation ◽

10.1016/j.eti.2021.101982 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 101982

Author(s):

Nguyen-Sy Toan ◽

Nguyen Thi Dong Phuong ◽

Tran Thi Ngoc Thu ◽

Duong Thi Lim ◽

Pham Duy Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Rice Straw ◽

Paddy Rice ◽

Viet Nam ◽

Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria ◽

Plant Growth Promoting ◽

Growth Promoting ◽

As Effects ◽

Straw Application

Download Full-text

Pine Bark Substrates Amended with Parboiled Rice Hulls: Physical Properties and Growth of Container-grown Spirea during Long-term Nursery Production

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.46.5.784 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 784-790 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Celina Gómez ◽

James Robbins

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Parboiled Rice ◽

Rice Hulls ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Affected Plant ◽

Nursery Production ◽

Production Cycles ◽

Outdoor Nursery

The decline in the availability of pine (Pinus taeda L.) bark (PB) supplies and increasing prices have caused concerns in the nursery industry. Research was conducted to evaluate the effect of parboiled rice (Oryza sativa L.) hulls (PBH) as a substrate amendment to PB-based container substrates on the growth of Spiraea ×bumalda L. ‘Anthony Waterer’ and to examine the changes in physical properties of the substrates during long-term production cycles under outdoor nursery conditions. Six substrates were formulated by blending PB with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, or 100% PBH (by volume). Substrate composition affected plant growth components evaluated, generally decreasing growth as the amount of PBH increased. However, amending PB with up to 40% PBH did not result in a significant decrease in plant growth or increase the volume or frequency of irrigation for container-grown spirea. Physical properties of substrates amended with PBH improved over time. Based on these results, PB-based substrates amended with up to 40% PBH retained physical properties that were generally within current guidelines for nursery container substrates after one (25 weeks) and two (70 weeks) growing seasons.

Download Full-text

Isolation, identification and characterization of native plant growth promoting bacteria and their plant growth promotion in Zea mays

Research Journal of Biotechnology ◽

10.25303/168rjbt7521 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (8) ◽

pp. 75-80

Author(s):

Pitchaiah Pelapudi ◽

Sasikala Ch ◽

Swarnabala Ganti

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Plant Growth Promotion ◽

Root Length ◽

Growth Promotion ◽

Shoot Length ◽

Root Weight ◽

Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria ◽

Plant Growth Promoting ◽

Growth Promoting ◽

Shoot Weight

In the present rapid growing world, need for a sustainable agricultural practice which helps in meeting the adequate food demand is much needed. In this context, plant growth promoting bacteria were brought into the spot light by the researchers. Though the plant growth promoting bacteria have several beneficial applications, due to some of the disadvantages in the field conditions, they lagged behind. In the current research work, native PGPR were isolated from the rhizosphere soil samples of maize with an aim to isolate the nitrogen fixing, phosphate solubilising and potash solubilising bacteria. Out of the several isolates, potent PGPR isolates viz., Paenibacillus durus PCPB067, Bacillus megaterium PCBMG041 and Paenibacillus glucanolyticus PCPG051 were isolated and identified by using the 16 S rRNA gene sequencing studies. Genomic DNA sequences obtained were deposited in the NCBI Genbank and accession numbers were assigned as MW793452, MW793456 and MW843633. In order to check the efficacy of the PGPR isolates, pot trials were conducted by taking maize as the host plant. Several parameters viz. shoot length, shoot weight, root length, root weight and weight of the seeds were tested in which PGP treatment showed good results (shoot length - 187±3.5 cm, shoot weight - 31±4 g, root length - 32±3.6 cm, root weight - 17±2 g, yield- 103.3±6.1 g) when compared to the chemical fertilizer treatment (shoot length - 177±3.5 cm, shoot weight - 25±3.6 g, root length - 24±3.5 cm, root weight - 14.6±1.52 g, yield- 85.6±7.6 g). Based on the results, it can be stated that these native PGPR isolates can be effectively used in the plant growth promotion of maize.

Download Full-text

Molecular Speciation of Phosphorus in Soil Under Various Long-Term Fertilization Regimes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-162128/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xue Li ◽

Qiuxiang Wen ◽

Shiyu Zhang ◽

Na Li ◽

Jinfeng Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Pig Manure ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Key Factors ◽

Mineral Fertilization ◽

Soil P ◽

N Fertilizers

Abstract Aims The objectives of this study were to examine the long-term substitution of mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers with manure (M) plus nitrogen (N) fertilizers and how they affect the forms of P that occur in soil, soil P distribution, and plant growth.Methods We used a solution of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectroscopy to study the correlations between long-term fertilization regimes and the forms of P that occur at different soil depths. Then we investigated yield, plant growth, and soil properties.Results A 40-year field experiment showed that the use of M + N fertilizers can significantly improve plant growth and yield. The proportion of organic P in the 20-40 cm soil layer was significantly increased by long-term M fertilization. The concentrations of various forms of P (orthophosphate, pyrophosphate, diesters, monoesters, and total inositol hexakisphosphate, IHP) in topsoil increased significantly with the combination of M with N + P mineral fertilization. The addition of M greatly increased the stereoisomers of IHP (myo-IHP, scyllo-IHP, neo-IHP, and D-chiro-IHP) and the proportion and concentration of corrected diesters. There were no significant differences in the pyrophosphate contents of the 40-60 cm soil layer according to fertilization type and year of fertilization. There were also no significant differences in IHP stereoisomers and diesters according to fertilization year. The P forms that contributed to corn yield were orthophosphate, diester, and IHP. Further, pyrophosphate made no significant contribution to corn growth. Conclusions Over the long-term, pig manure can significantly increase the amount of orthophosphate that is directly absorbed by crops and the amount of IHP stereoisomers that can be used by plants. Orthophosphate and IHP are the two key factors that have a positive effect on plant growth.

Download Full-text