Improved water saving in nursery production using Sphagnum peat.

摘要

Reducing irrigation in nursery production has become a major issue due to environmental concerns. Different irrigation systems are proposed to increase irrigation efficiency. These systems required growing media with specific properties to optimize their utilization. Substrates commonly used are often too coarse resulting in frequent watering and poor capillarity properties required for sub-irrigation systems. Addition of Sphagnum peat could enhance water holding capacity and reduce water use. An experiment was conducted to evaluate water-saving potential of Sphagnum peat (30 to 60%) in a bark mix (30 to 60% bark/10% sand) compared to sedge peat (30%) commonly used in Florida. The setup included both overhead irrigation and capillary mat system (Aquamat) in nursery production of Ligustrum and Viburnum. Plant growth was improved using Sphagnum peat in high proportion reducing production time (13 to 28%) and water use (15 to 38%) with both irrigation systems. The best combination tested was capillary mat used with the substrate containing 60% Sphagnum peat which provided an adequate capillary rise. An economic analysis showed the profitability of this solution and definitely justified the additional investments required.