Effects of Cultivation of Gerbera on some Physical and Chemical Properties of Different Growing Substrates

Abstract

This study was carried out in the research greenhouse of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) branch, to explore the effect cultivation of Gerbera on some physical and chemical properties of growing substrates. The experimental design was randomized complete, using different organic growing substrates including raw date palm waste, spent date palm waste, spent date palm waste+perlite (60+40%) in three sizes (0-0.5, 0.5-1 and 1-2 cm) and coco peat+perlite (50+50%) with 5 replications. The results indicated that cultivation of gerbera on spent date palm waste and spent date palm waste+perlite resulted in significant increases in bulk density of these substrates. The results indicated that cultivation of gerbera on coco peat+perlite and spent date palm waste+perlite resulted in significant increases in particle density of these substrates. However, there were no significant differences between treatments in porosity except in spent date palm waste treatments that had significant decrease in porosity after cultivation. The results indicated that cultivation of gerbera on the raw date palm waste and spent date palm waste with the particle size of 1-2 cm resulted in significant increases in water holding capacity. The cultivation of gerbera on growing substrates resulted in significant increase in pH. Although the EC of coco peat+perlite was also significantly greater in after cultivation than in before cultivation, the cultivation of gerbera on other growing substrates (in most cases) resulted in significant decrease in EC.