ISHS Acta Horticulturae 683: V International Symposium on New Floricultural Crops
COMPRESSED COIR AS SUBSTRATE IN ORNAMENTAL PLANTS GROWING - PART I: PHYSICAL ANALYSIS |
| Authors: | E. Domingues Salvador, L. Egil Haugen, H. Ragnar Gislerød |
| Keywords: | substrate, coir, peat, briquets, physical analysis |
| Abstract:
Physical characteristics of peat and coir briquets were measured in laboratory. Coir and peat briquets (JIFFY-7) of different sizes (22 and 38 mm) were studied. The physical analysis included: particle density, dry bulk density, water retention and sample volume at different suctions. The samples volumes at different suctions were measured by coating the samples in paraffin and weighing them in air and water. As for particle density, dry bulk density, and pore volume, only minor differences were observed between coir and peat for both 22-mm and 38-mm briquets. Briquets did not shrink and volume remained the same at all suctions analyzed (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 50, and 100 cm). The greatest difference in air filled porosity as a function of the suction levels was verified between 38-mm peat and coir. At 0-cm suction, the air filled porosity was the same for both 38-mm peat and coir. At 5-cm suction the difference started to increase, and peaked at 10-cm suction. Air filled porosity was three times as large in 38-mm coir briquets as in peat, and twice as large in 22-mm coir briquets as in peat briquets. Water contents at low suctions in peat and coir were the same. Water availabilities for peat and coir were different. Twenty-two-mm peat briquets presented large amounts of unavailable water (58.9%) and low water buffering capacity (3.1%), and did not differ significantly from 38-mm briquets. | |
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