Browsing by Author "Kuisma, Eero"

The use of peat as a growing-medium has raised concerns globally, because it is not ecologically sustainable. Coir is an ecologically friendly alternative, but it is transported very long way to Finland. Therefore, a substitute for peat and coir as a growing-medium in soilless culture is needed. The aim of this research was to find out, whether Finnish plant fibre medium can replace peat or coir in greenhouse production of strawberry. In the experiments four substrates were compared: coir, peat, plant fibre and peat/plant fibre mix. Water holding capacity, pH-buffer capacity and mineralisation of nitrogen were determined, and vegetative and generative growth of strawberries on different substrates were measured. In strawberry cultivation experiment the pH of plant fibre (6,5-7,7) was very close to that of peat (6,4-7,6). Coir and plant fibre had considerably lower pH-buffer capacity than the media that contained peat. The water holding capacity (613 % per dw) of plant fibre was considerably lower than in other media. Plant fibre medium´s water content (32-42 % v/v) was however closest to strawberry´s optimum (25-34 % v/v) during almost the whole experiment. Plant fibre (23:1) and peat/plant fibre mix (29:1) had optimal C/N- ratios in this experiment. The amount of soluble nitrogen was highest in plant fibre medium in the beginning of the experiment. The EC of plant fibre medium was very low in the beginning (0,5 mS/cm), but it increased quickly being 1,2-2,1 mS/cm, so it was second closest to the optimum during the rest of the experiment. The vegetative growth of strawberry plants was more vigorous in peat compared to other substrates. The growth of the root system was weakest in peat. Medium had no significant influence on the amount of yield, and had only minor influence on the quality of the yield. In conclusion, the plant fibre medium could replace peat or coir in the soilless cultivation of strawberry.