scholarly journals Biochar as growing media additive and peat substitute

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1023-1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Steiner ◽  
T. Harttung
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Plant Weight ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
High Structural Stability ◽  
Air Capacity ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Very High ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract. Environmental concerns raised the demand for alternative growing media substituting sphagnum peat. However growing media formulations still depend on peat and alternatives are limited. Biochar is carbonized plant material and could be an appropriate additive or even substitute for sphagnum peat. Freshly produced, it is free from pathogens, has a low nutrient content (if produced from nutrient poor feedstock), a very high structural stability and likely other favourable properties such as air capacity and water holding capacity. Preliminary tests were conducted to compare biochar with other growing media and growing media additives. The growth of a miniature sunflower, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) was measured in different growing media such as biochar, perlite, clay granules, sphagnum peat and peat mixed with biochar in the ratios 1 : 4, 1 : 1 and 4 : 1 (25, 50 and 75%, by volume). Fresh biochar has a similar EC than peat which is even lower after rinsing with water. Due to the relatively high pH of biochar, it could be added to peat instead of lime in a concentration of up to 75%. The growth of the sunflower was similar in all growing media. Only the plant weight was slightly higher of plants that grew in perlite or peat. There is a large potential for optimization such as selection of particle size and feedstock for biochar production and growing media formulations for specific plant requirements.

scholarly journals Biochar as a growing media additive and peat substitute

Solid Earth ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 995-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Steiner ◽  
T. Harttung
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Plant Weight ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
High Structural Stability ◽  
Air Capacity ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Very High ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract. Environmental concerns raised the demand for alternative growing media substituting Sphagnum peat. However growing media formulations still depend on peat and alternatives are limited. Biochar is carbonized plant material and could be an appropriate additive or even substitute for Sphagnum peat. Freshly produced, it is free from pathogens, has a low nutrient content (if produced from nutrient-poor feedstock), a very high structural stability and likely other favourable properties such as air capacity and water-holding capacity. Preliminary tests were conducted to compare biochar with other growing media and growing media additives. The growth of a miniature sunflower, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) was measured in different growing media such as biochar, perlite, clay granules, Sphagnum peat and peat mixed with biochar in the ratios 1 : 4, 1 : 1 and 4 : 1 (25, 50 and 75%, by volume). Fresh biochar has a similar EC to peat which is even lower after rinsing with water. Due to the relatively high pH of biochar, it could be added to peat instead of lime in a concentration of up to 75%. The growth of the sunflower was similar in all growing media. Only the plant weight was slightly higher of plants that grew in perlite or peat. There is a large potential for optimization such as selection of particle size and feedstock for biochar production and growing media formulations for specific plant requirements.

scholarly journals Growth of Dieffenbachia maculata `Camille' in Growing Media Containing Sphagnum Peat or Coconut Coir Dust

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 844-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Stamps ◽  
Michael R. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Pore Space ◽  
Cocos Nucifera ◽  
Greenhouse Production ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
Electrical Conductivities ◽  
Coir Dust ◽  
Foliage Plant ◽  
Initial Medium ◽  
Water Holding

A comparison was made of Canadian sphagnum peat (SP) and Philippine coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) coir dust (CD) as growing media components for Dieffenbachia maculata [(Lodd.) G. Don] `Camille' greenhouse production. Three soilless foliage plant growing mixes [Cornell, Hybrid, Univ. of Florida #2 (UF-2)] were prepared using either SP or CD and pine bark (PB), vermiculite (V), and/or perlite (P) in the following ratios (percent by volume): Cornell = 50 CD or SP:25 V:25 P, Hybrid = 40 CD or SP:30 V:30 PB, UF-2 = 50 CD or SP:50 PB. Initial CI concentrations and electrical conductivities were higher for CD-containing media (CDM) than SP-containing media (SPM). At termination, Ca, Mg, and NO3-N concentrations were higher for SPM than CDM. Bulk densities were lower for CDM than SPM for one medium, but not for the others. Water-filled pore space (W-FPS) and water-holding capacity (W-HC) were larger and air-filled pore space (A-FPS) generally was smaller for CDM than SPM. Cornell had the highest W-FPS and W-HC, lowest A-FPS and percentage of large particles, and produced the highest grade and heaviest plants. Plant top grades, fresh mass and overall mass, but not root grades and mass, were higher for CDM than SPM. Plant mass was positively correlated with initial medium W-HC but not with A-FPS. Lower K in mix UF-2 compared to the mixes containing vermiculite may have been partly responsible for the lesser growth in that mix.

Interaction of pH amendment and potassium fertiliser on soil chemistry and banana plant growth

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Vimpany ◽  
G. G. Johns
Keyword(s):  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Banana Plant ◽  
Plant Weight ◽  
Mg Deficiency ◽  
Very High ◽  
Plant Nutrient Content ◽  
Chemistry Plant ◽  
Mn Concentrations

Two glasshouse trials were conducted at Alstonville, NSW, to investigate the effects of rates of potassium (K) fertiliser and pH amendment on soil chemistry, plant nutrient content, and growth of tissue-cultured banana plants. The first trial used 5 rates of lime combined with 5 rates of KCl with plants in 1.5-L pots, and the subsequent trial used 4 rates of pH amendment (CaCO3 + MgO) combined with 4 rates of K2SO4 with plants in 140-L troughs. The soil used in both trials was the A horizon of a Yellow Kurosol. In the pot trial, very high rates of KCl caused a reduction in plant weight, and heaviest plants were produced at pH 4.5 5 (pHCa, measured with CaCl2). Analysis of exchangeable and soluble cations indicated that increasing rates of added KCl displaced both Ca and Mg off cation exchange surfaces into the soil solution, from where they could be lost by leaching. Liming caused a marked decrease in plant Zn and Mn concentrations to levels that may have limited growth when soil pHCa exceeded about 5.0. In the trough trial, plant weight was greatest at pHCa 4.3. Plant weight responded negatively to increasing K2SO4 at pHCa 3.5, positively at pHCa 4.3, and was generally unresponsive at the higher pHCa values of 5.0 and 5.8. A multiplicative Mitscherlich model was used to relate plant weight to leaf nutrient concentrations and indicated that plant weight was most limited by Mg deficiency at pHCa 3.5 and Mn deficiency at pHCa 5.8, with K availability having a moderate effect on growth at intermediate pHCa levels. Mg deficiency occurred at low pH despite regular foliar applications of this element, indicating the inefficacy of the foliar pathway for fertilising bananas with macro-nutrients. The study indicated that attempting to raise the pHCa of this soil above 5.0 for banana growing may not be appropriate, and due attention should be paid to Mg requirements and possible effects of liming on trace element availability.

Urban biochar improves nitrogen and phosphorus availability in growing media

Soil Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhawana Bhatta Kaudal ◽  
Deli Chen ◽  
Anthony J. Weatherley
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Pine Bark ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Additional Advantage ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Promote Plant Growth

The purpose of this study was to substitute sphagnum peat from plant growing media with urban biochar (UB) and evaluate its impact on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. The UB was produced from the pyrolysis (650°C) of a 2 : 1 ratio of biosolids to green waste. We compared three mixes – 20% sphagnum peat mixed with composted pine bark (B0), 20% UB mixed with composted pine bark (B20) and 60% UB mixed with composted pine bark (B60) – for their ability to promote plant growth and minimise leaching losses in a greenhouse experiment using silverbeet (Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla). Plants were grown in 4.0-L custom-made chambers with the capacity to collect leachate and measure nitrous oxide gas flux. Both biochar mixes increased media pH, air filled porosity, bulk density and nutrient content relative to B0. The B0 had the highest cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity. The UB-based mixes, B20 and B60, had no significant effect on silverbeet biomass after 11 weeks of growth but had higher N use efficiency and P availability than B0. These results indicate that UB can completely replace sphagnum peat from growing media and can be used at the rate of 60% on volume basis while improving N and P availability. Using a higher rate of biochar in growing media has the additional advantage of sequestering more carbon and reducing urban waste streams and landfill costs.

Growth of Dracaena marginata and Spathiphyllum ‘Petite’ in Sphagnum Peat- and Coconut Coir Dust-based Growing Media

1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Stamps ◽  
Michael R. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Cocos Nucifera ◽  
Greenhouse Production ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Sphagnum Peat ◽  
Affected Plant ◽  
Coir Dust ◽  
Media Component ◽  
The Media ◽  
Cocos Nucifera L

Abstract A comparison was made of Canadian sphagnum peat (SP) and Philippine coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) coir dust (CD) as growing media components for greenhouse production of Dracaena marginata Bak. and Spathiphyllum Schott ‘Petite’. Three soilless foliage plant growing mixes (Cornell, Hybrid, University of Florida #2 [UF-2]) were prepared using either SP or CD and pine bark (PB), vermiculite (V), and/or perlite (P) in the following ratios (% by vol): Cornell = 50 CD or SP:25 V:25 P, Hybrid = 40 CD or SP:30 V:30 PB, UF-2 = 50 CD or SP: 50 PB. Dracaena root growth was not affected by treatments but there were significant mix × media component interactions that affected plant top growth parameters. In general, the growth and quality of D. marginata were reduced by using CD in Cornell, had no effect in Hybrid, and increased in UF-2. S. ‘Petite’ grew equally well in all growing mixes regardless of whether CD or SP was used; however, plants grew more in Cornell and Hybrid than in UF-2. S. ‘Petite’ roots, which were infested with Cylindrocladium spathiphylli, had higher grades when grown in CD than when the media contained SP.

Evaluation of Pine Bark, Pine Bark With Wood, and Pine Tree Chips as Components of a Container Plant Growing Media

1986 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Laiche ◽  
V.E. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Pine Bark ◽  
Growth Media ◽  
Ligustrum Sinense ◽  
Pine Tree ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Low Solubility ◽  
Low Nitrogen ◽  
Very High ◽  
Container Plant

Three woody landscape species, Rhododendron indica ‘President Clay’, Ligustrum sinense ‘variegata’, and Ilex crenata ‘compacta’, were grown in media prepared from fresh pine bark, pine bark with wood, and pine tree chips. Although media were variable in physical properties, all exhibited very high hydraulic conductivity and low water holding capacity. The capacity of these media materials to hold fertilizer elements was very low. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus were rapidly removed by leaching while calciuum and magnesium were retained longer because of the low solubility of dolomitic limestone. Pine bark was the best growth media tested for all plant species. Pine bark with wood was less satisfactory than pine bark and growth was poorest in pine tree chips. More research is needed on the use of the organic amendments with greater amounts of wood before being widely used as organic components of growth media.

Der Sommer und Herbst 2003 aus phänologischer Sicht | Summer and autumn 2003 from a phenological point of view

2004 ◽  
Vol 155 (5) ◽  
pp. 142-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Defila
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
New Record ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Late Spring ◽  
Mean Deviation ◽  
Leaf Shedding ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Very High ◽  
Selection Of

The record-breaking heatwave of 2003 also had an impact on the vegetation in Switzerland. To examine its influences seven phenological late spring and summer phases were evaluated together with six phases in the autumn from a selection of stations. 30% of the 122 chosen phenological time series in late spring and summer phases set a new record (earliest arrival). The proportion of very early arrivals is very high and the mean deviation from the norm is between 10 and 20 days. The situation was less extreme in autumn, where 20% of the 103 time series chosen set a new record. The majority of the phenological arrivals were found in the class «normal» but the class«very early» is still well represented. The mean precocity lies between five and twenty days. As far as the leaf shedding of the beech is concerned, there was even a slight delay of around six days. The evaluation serves to show that the heatwave of 2003 strongly influenced the phenological events of summer and spring.

PSXII-2 Identification of candidate SNPs associated with high prolificacy in Romanov sheep

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 254-255
Author(s):  
Alexey V Shakhin ◽  
Arsen V Dotsev ◽  
Tatiana E Deniskova ◽  
Gottfried Brem ◽  
Natalia A Zinovieva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Reference Genome ◽  
Unique Property ◽  
Candidate Snps ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Sheep Breeds ◽  
Important Trait ◽  
Very High ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Prolificacy is a very important trait in sheep. Romanov sheep, the well-known Russian sheep breed, are characterized by very high prolificacy; however, the genetic basis of this unique property of Romanov sheep is still unknown. It was reported that Ovine BMPR1B gene, located on the OAR6, is associated with prolificacy in several sheep breeds. The aim of our study was to identify candidate SNPs within BMPR1B gene, related to prolificacy. To achieve this goal, using NGS technology, we sequenced ovine BMPR1B gene in Romanov sheep (n = 6), which are characterized by high prolificacy (about 270 lambs per 100 ewes). The sequences of BMPR1B gene of Noire du Velay, Tan, Southdown and Australian Horned Merino sheep breeds as well as Asiatic mouflon (n = 1), which are characterized by significantly lower prolificacy (from 110 to 180 lambs per 100 ewes) were derived from publicly available sources and used for comparison. FST analysis performed in PLINK 1.9 program revealed 10 SNPs with values higher than 0.8. The majority of candidate SNPs under putative selection were localized in the region from 29,382,098 to 29,430,387 on OAR6 of Ovine reference genome (Oar_v3.1 (Ensembl release 98). Thus, we can suggest, that this region of the BMPR1B gene can be considered as the putative region, associated with high prolificacy of Romanov sheep. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the effect of identified candidate SNPs on prolificacy traits. The research results will be useful for artificial selection of sheep with higher prolific capacity, including the introduction of desired alleles in sheep populations using genome editing technologies. This work was supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 0445-2019-0024 and RFBR No. 20-516-56002.

scholarly journals Comparison Study on Fiber and Cocopeat from Young Coconut Husks and Old Coconut Husks

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd shahmihaizan Mat jusoh ◽  
Mohd Nadzim Nordin ◽  
Wan Mohd Aznan Wan Ahamad ◽  
Md Akhir Hamid
Keyword(s):  
Ph Value ◽  
Testing Machine ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Peat Moss ◽  
Fibre Strength ◽  
Coconut Fiber ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
Ability Test ◽  
Water Holding

Fiber and cocopeat are waste products from coconut husks that can be turned into value added products. Fiber and cocopeat from old coconut husks are well known in coconut industry in the world. This paper described fibre strength from young coconut husks, nutrient content and water-holding ability of young coconut cocopeat compared to old coconut cocopeat. The strength of fiber was determined by using Instron Universal Testing Machine. The results showed that mean load at break for young coconut fiber was 13.76 N while mean load at break for old coconut fiber was 14.93 N. Maximum tensile stress for young coconut fiber was 1.55 MPa and 1.76 MPa for old coconut fiber. The nutrient contents were determined for young cocopeat and old cocopeat resulted as phosphorus (372.79 ppm, 339 ppm), potassium (6829.68 ppm, 10040.46 ppm), calcium (508.74 ppm, 578.40 ppm), magnesium (468.67 ppm, 715.60 ppm) and sodium (1579.70 ppm, 3917.60 ppm). The pH value was 6.55 and 5.39 respectively. The ash contents were 2.62% for young cocopeat while 4.06% for old cocopeat. For water holding ability test, moisture content of each sample from young coconut cocopeat and old coconut cocopeat was determined by using soil moisture meter. After seven days with water added 500 ml two times/day, results showed that water holding ability for peat moss was the best while young cocopeat was better than the old cocopeat. All the results showed that fiber and cocopeat from young coconut husk have high potential for sustainable production in the coconut industry. 

scholarly journals Selection of non-invasive load procedure in diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (review)

2018 ◽  
pp. 62-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. P. Lupanov
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Ischemic Heart Disease ◽  
Clinical Examination ◽  
Ischemic Heart ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Careful Clinical Examination ◽  
Very High ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
High Pretest Probability

The diagnosis of stable ischemic heart disease begins with a careful clinical examination of the patient and non-invasive testing to identify the disease. Patients with very low and very high pretest probability should not undergo various non-invasive tests. Various non-invasive tests are available to assess the presence of coronary heart disease in patients with an intermediate probability of ischemic heart disease (15–65%). The combination of anatomical with functional non-invasive tests helps improve diagnostic capabili of the disease.

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