Physical and chemical characteristics and analysis of plant substrate

Abstract Cultivation in protected environments and containers culminated in the need of the use substrates with specific chemical and physical characteristics; assuming that a fundamental role in cultivation of horticultural plants. In this way, the objective was to describe the main physical and chemical characteristics of substrates, as well as the main methodologies for analysis. As physical characteristics we can refer as examples: density on a wet and dry basis, total porosity, air space and water retention (easily available, buffering capacity and remaining water). The most important chemical characteristics in substrates include pH, electrical conductivity and available nutrient content. These characteristics are responsible for all the nutritional dynamics and the availability of water and air in the culture medium, so they must be known, tested and managed during cultivation. Thus, it is possible to establish parameters for plant cultivation in containers, being also possible to correlate its influence on plant development for scientific research.