ISHS Acta Horticulturae 554: World Congress on Soilless Culture: Agriculture in the Coming Millennium
USE OF RECYCLED HYDROPONIC ROCKWOOL SLABS FOR HYDROPONIC PRODUCTION OF CUT ROSES |
| Authors: | B.R. Jeong, S.J. Hwang |
| Keywords: | hydroponics; recycled rockwool; rockwool disposal; pinewood chips; rose |
| Abstract:
Steam pasteurized particles of rockwool slabs, which had been used for two years for hydroponic production of tomatoes, were used as a growing medium for hydroponic production of cut miniature Rosa hybrida L. ‘Manish’. Growth and yield in new rockwool slab (control), particles of used rockwool slabs (PURS), pinewood chips (PC), and mixtures of PURS and PC at 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 (v/v) ratios were compared. All media were put in plastic bags, and were laid on beds in a glasshouse in a randomized block design of three replicates. Four cuttings rooted in rockwool cubes were planted in each bag at a density of 550mm x 160mm and grown for 378 days. Flower stems were harvested when five flowers were open on a stem, and measured for growth parameters. All treatments produced cut flower stems of similar quality. However, yield in treatments containing PC greater than 50% was lower, while yield in other treatments was equivalent to that in the control. The results suggest that PURS can successfully be used for hydroponic production of cut roses. Recycled use of hydroponic rockwool slabs after breaking down into particles will greatly contribute to the waste management of the rockwool slabs, which are widely used in hydroponics worldwide. | |
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