Perspectives of sphagnum farming in the Kolkheti lowland (Georgia):first results

摘要

The cultivation of Sphagnum biomass as an alternative to the extraction of fossil white peat enables the long term supply of raw material for high quality substrates in professional horticulture.The warm temperate and wet climate in the Kolkheti lowland (Georgia) enables Sphagnum growth all year.In addition to degraded peatlands Sphagnum farming seems even possible on mineral soils that are currently lying fallow or used as low-productive arable land.Paper reports on first experiments with Sphagnum establishment on degraded peatland and mineral soil in the Kolkheti lowland.