Title
Sphagnum farming substrate is a competitive alternative to traditional horticultural substrates for achieving desired hydro-physical properties
Abstract
The provision of raw material is an important ecosystem service provided by peatlands. Using materials produced on re-established peatland sites can help to increase the interest of stakeholders in expediting further restoration measures. Promising possibilities include paludiculture and Sphagnum farming, which offer new perspectives for exploring renewable alternatives to peat as constituents of growing media. Therefore, gaining knowledge about processing and physical properties of the material becomes increasingly necessary. The hydro-physical properties of harvested and processed Sphagnum palustre L. biomass can compete with those of peat and coir, which are materials traditionally used in the horticultural industry. Even a partial substitution of peat with Sphagnum biomass increased maximum water-holding capacities and plant available water contents of mixtures while increasing wettability and hydration efficiency.
Keywords
biomasspeat substituteSphagnum palustrewater-holding capacitywettability
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1603841
Appeared in
Title
Mires and Peat
Volume
27
Issue
21
ISSN
1819-754X
Issued
2021
From page
1
To page
12
Publisher
International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society
Date issued
2021
Access rights
University of Vienna | Universitätsring 1 | 1010 Vienna | T +43-1-4277-0