Physicochemical Properties and Growth Characteristics of Wood Chip and Peat Moss Based Vegetation Media

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical properties of steam exploded wood chips for peat moss substitute in vegetation media. Also, the mixtures at the different ratios of peat moss and pretreated wood chips (90 : 10, 70 : 30 and 50 : 50 (w/w), respectively) were evaluated by physicochemical and plant growth characteristics. The pretreated wood chips was showed that bulk density, porosity and pH were 0.26 g/cm 3 , 93.3% and 5.7, respectively. This result indicates that physicochemical properties was improved when wood chips was apply to steam explosion in the range of optimum physicochemical condition for vegetation media. In particular, the mixture ratio of peat moss and pretreated wood chips to 70 : 30 (w/w) showed higher seed germination, plant height and leaf growth than peat moss. Also, the bulk density, porosity, water holding capacity, pH and C/N ratio were 0.20 g/cm 3 , 91.8%, 76.1%, 5.2 and 51.0 in the range of optimum physicochemical condition for vegetation media.