Abstract
Effects of growth medium physical conditions were studied. Peat and two series of peat mixed with hydrophobic mineral wool or perlite in three mixing ratios were prepared. Growth media porosities were characterized by the “standardized time method” and seedling development by measurements of stem length and fresh and dry weight.
Seedlings grown in media containing mineral wool showed less mortality, were larger and had more living root apices than seedlings in media lacking mineral wool. Growth media influenced most the stem length and dry weights and was best at higher porosity. The difference between mineral wool and perlite amendments was greater for dry weight than stem length, although the effect of mixing ratio was observed for mineral wool only.
The media induced qualitative differences in shoots (foliage spiralling) and roots (branching, number of living root apices, lenticel intumescence).
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Langerud, B.R., Sandvik, M. Development of containerized Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings grown with heavy watering on various peat, perlite and mineral wool mixtures. New Forest 1, 89–99 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00030054
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00030054