Abstract
The vast amount of solid waste produced each year is one of the greatest problems associated with greenhouse horticulture in some European countries. In particular, the disposal of used growing media arising from the soil-less cultivation of vegetables in mineral wool creates serious difficulties. The non-biodegradability of these mainly inorganic substrates causes environmental concern and has prompted the search for alternative growing media such as cocos derivatives, perlite and resin foam (Fytocell ® ). Organic substrates in combination with biodegradable material such as plastic, rope and clippings have the advantage that re-use or recycling of the waste is easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than for mineral wool. However, the differing physical and chemical characteristics of the alternative substrates may affect yield significantly. Substrates based respectively on peat and peat with cocos derivatives were tested against a mineral wool control for the production of tomato in three consecutive years. Both organic substrates were placed in biodegradable plastic bags. Greenhouse experiments demonstrated that plants grown in the pure peat substrate rooted more easily than plants grown in the peat-cocos substrate or mineral wool, and that they developed less blossom-end rot in both peat substrates than in mineral wool. Due to the buffering capacity of the organic substrates, the electrical conductivity of the draining water appeared to be more stable during cultivation. The total yield of tomato fruits was similar for all substrates, and no differences between substrates could be observed in the quality of the fruits produced. On the other hand, flavour tests demonstrated that plants grown on peat substrate produced more tasty fruits under certain conditions. The results of this study show that organic growbags are promising and competitive alternatives to mineral wool.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Pure peat supported easier tomato rooting than peat-cocos or mineral wool.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume1 - Treatment
- pure peat substratee0
- Outcome
- rooted more easilye0
- Direction
- more easilye0
- Comparator
- peat-cocos substrate or mineral woole0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“plants grown in the pure peat substrate rooted more easily than plants grown in the peat-cocos substrate or mineral wool”
e1“production of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Both peat substrates produced less blossom-end rot than mineral wool.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- both peat substratese0
- Outcome
- blossom-end rote0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Comparator
- mineral woole0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“they developed less blossom-end rot in both peat substrates than in mineral wool”
e1“production of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Organic substrates produced more stable drainage water electrical conductivity during cultivation.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- organic substratese0
- Outcome
- electrical conductivity of the draining watere0
- Direction
- more stablee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Due to the buffering capacity of the organic substrates, the electrical conductivity of the draining water appeared to be more stable during cultivation.”
e1“production of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Total tomato fruit yield was similar across substrates.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- pure peat substratee1
- Outcome
- total yield of tomato fruitse0
- Direction
- similare0
- Comparator
- peat-cocos substrate or mineral woole2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The total yield of tomato fruits was similar for all substrates”
e1“pure peat substrate”
e2“peat-cocos substrate or mineral wool”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit quality did not differ among substrates.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- substratese0
- Outcome
- quality of the fruits producede0
- Direction
- no differencese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no differences between substrates could be observed in the quality of the fruits produced”
e1“production of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Peat-grown tomato fruits tasted better under certain conditions.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- peat substratee0
- Outcome
- more tasty fruitse0
- Direction
- more tastye0
- Qualifier
- under certain conditionse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“plants grown on peat substrate produced more tasty fruits under certain conditions”
e1“production of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude organic growbags are promising alternatives to mineral wool.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Outcome
- organic growbags are promising and competitive alternatives to mineral woole0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“organic growbags are promising and competitive alternatives to mineral wool”
e1“production of tomato”
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