Coconut Coir as a Sustainable Nursery Growing Media for Seedling Production of the Ecologically Diverse Quercus Species

Abstract

Peat, a non-sustainable resource, is still predominately used in forest nurseries. Coconut coir might provide an alternative, renewable, and reliable growing media but few studies have evaluated this media type in forest nurseries. We assessed the influence of pure coir, in combination with various fertilization regimes, on the growth and physiology of three ecologically diverse Quercus species seedlings (Q. robur, Q. pubescens, and Q. ilex) during nursery cultivation. Seedlings were grown using peat and pure coir in combination with three fertilization treatments (standard, K-enriched, and P-enriched). Data were collected for: (1) growth and physiological traits; (2) detailed above- and below-ground morphological traits by destructive analysis; and (3) NPK content in leaves, shoot and roots, and in the growing media, following cultivation. Peat and coir in combination with the various fertilization treatments affected above- and below-ground morphology and, to a lesser extent, the physiological traits of Quercus seedlings. Large effects of the substrate occurred for most morphological variables, with peat being more effective than coir in all studied species. Fertilization also produced significant differences. The effect of K-enriched fertilization on plant growth was clear across the three species and the two growing media. P-enriched fertilization in peat was the only combination that promoted a higher amount of this element in the tissues at the end of cultivation. Despite their smaller size, seedlings produced in coir were compatible with standard Quercus forest stocktype size, and showed a proportionally higher root system development and fibrosity. Our results suggest that coir can be used as an alternative substrate to grow Quercus species seedlings, and that fertilization can offset coir deficiencies in chemical properties. As several functional traits drive planting performance under varying environmental conditions. according to the Target Plant Concept, coir might thus serve as an acceptable material for seedling cultivation in some cases.

Rootstock screening for greenhouse tomato production under a coconut coir cultivation system

“…In recent years, coconut coir has been widely used in crop production, especially in greenhouse cultivation. Because of their excellent physical properties and biological features, coconut coirs can significantly improve plant growth and development (Oliveira et al, 2009;Xiong et al, 2017;Mariotti et al, 2020) and are economical and environmentally friendly (Berruti and Scariot, 2012). Grafting is currently regarded as a rapid tool aimed at increasing the environmental stress tolerance of vegetables (Fallik and Ilic, 2014).…”

Monitoring drought response and chlorophyll content in Quercus by consumer-grade, near-infrared (NIR) camera: a comparison with reflectance spectroscopy

“…during the second growing season of seedlings of three Quercus species: Q. robur L., Q. pubescens Willd., and Q. ilex L. (hereafter, QR, QP, and QI, respectively), and during a concurrent water stress trial (Mariotti et al 2019). In 2017, seedlings were grown in 0.65 L containers filled with two substrates (Sub: Peat, Pe; Coconut fiber, Co) and three fertilizations (Fert: nursery standard, St; enriched in K, K; enriched in P, P) resulting in a total of six stocktypes (Sub x Fert; further details in Mariotti et al 2020). In mid-April 2018, 45 seedlings per stocktype and species (total = 810; 15 seedlings per experimental unit) were transplanted into 3 L pots filled with coconut fiber substrate (without any further fertilization), placed in a greenhouse, where homogeneity of environmental conditions (i.e.…”

“…Substrate and fertilization introduced a further source of variability in our sample (Mariotti et al 2020), which has been useful to test the concordance between NIR-camera VIs and ecophysiological indices, which traced the complex plant responses to drought (e.g., Chaves et al 2003;Gupta et al 2020). Among the studied oak species, differences existed in the strategies adopted to face water shortages, balance water uptakes with losses, control growth, and promote survival (Gil-Pelegrín et al 2017).…”

The High Cost of the Low-Cost Polybag System: A Review of Nursery Seedling Production Systems

“…Several alternative organic materials can be used to create renewable, locally available growing media for plant cultivation [32,33]. These alternatives include compost [34,35], coconut husk [36][37][38], bark [39], rice hulls [40,41], sawdust [42,43], biochar [44], sludge [45], solid anaerobic digestate [46], and other materials. These organic materials can be mixed with inorganic components such as vermiculite and perlite.…”