Greenhouse growth of Euphorbia x lomi Rauh in peat-reduced and peat-free substrates prepared with different composted wastes.

摘要

To investigate the possibility of using composted agro-industrial and municipal wastes in the production of an ornamental succulent plant, a research was carried out in a heated glasshouse, replacing the peat in the growing medium at 30, 50 or 70%. Rooted apical cuttings of Euphorbia x lomi [E. lomii] hybrid were grown in media containing olive mill (OWC) and green wastes compost (GWC), peat and draining materials in different percentage. A medium of peat:draining material 7:3 (v/v) was established as the control. Chemical and physical properties of growing media were analysed; plant vegetative growth, root growth and flowering were determined at the end of the 1st phase of pot cultivation (after 140 days after transplanting) and at the end of the 2nd one (280 days). Euphorbia x lomi growth was not adversely affected by the rates of GWC up to 50% indicating the potential for using GWC as a growing medium component, and also that OWC can replace up to 30% of the peat: the quality of plant produced in this medium was often as good as that of the control.