ISHS Acta Horticulturae 481: International Symposium on Growing Media and Hydroponics
TWO INDUSTRIAL WATER-DERIVED WASTES AS POTENTIAL POTTING AMENDMENTS |
| Author: | C. Chong |
| Keywords: | ornamentals, bedding plants, nursery crops, waste recycling |
| Abstract:
Grey mud (MUD) wet cake and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wet cake, two non-hazardous, “land-fillable”, waste by-products from the manufacturing of PVC resins and compounds, were evaluated as amendments for container growing substrates. Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario mix was blended with 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 75 or 100% by volume of MUD or PVC placed in cell packs and transplanted with tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. ‘Roma’) and marigold (Tagetes patula L. ‘Spanish Brocade’) as 2-leaf-stage seedlings, or seeded directly with cucumber (Cucumis sativa L. ‘Marketmore 76’). Regression analysis showed no significant response in shoot dry weight of tomato and marigold seedlings to increasing level of PVC in the substrate under greenhouse conditions. Shoot dry weight of both species declined in response to increasing level of MUD, as also did shoot dry weight of cucumber to increasing MUD or PVC levels. Outdoor container growing of nursery crops using substrates consisting of bark blended with similar levels (0 to 100%) of MUD or PVC also produced mixed results. Shoot dry weight of red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L.) and ninebark [Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.] increased markedly and curvilinearly with increasing levels of MUD (maximum of 50% with dogwood; 60% with ninebark). PVC had little or no effect on shoot dry weight of these two species. Shoot growth of deutzia (Deutzia gracilis Siebold & Zucc.) was unaffected by MUD but decreased with increasing levels of PVC. | |
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