Comparison of rockwool and coir for greenhouse cucumber production: chemical element, plant growth, and fruit quality

He, Lizhong; Ding, Xinyu; Jin, Haijun; Zhang, Hongmei; Cui, Jiawei; Chu, Jianfeng; Li, Rongguang; Zhou, Qiang; Yu, Jiangnan

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10930

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…The nitrogen balance is not only important in artificial media, but also natural media, with carbon-to-nitrogen ratios above 30 tending to mobilize nitrogen due to the intense microbial decomposition of carbon, which consumes nitrogen. In wood fiber, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio exceeds 300 [4]. In our experiment, the C:N ratio in the wood fiber (WF) media was 450.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…The electrical conductivity describes the concentration of all salt ions dissolved in the solution of the growing medium. The electrical conductivity of the growing media is determined by a number of factors-the material of the media itself, the concentration of fertilizer (salts), the irrigation water, and the level of leaching, depending on the irrigation method chosen [4]. The curves of electrical conductivity in the growing media show a downward slope from the beginning of cucumber flowering (stages I to II) and an upward slope during cucumber fruiting (stages III and IV) (Figure 2).…”

Section: Electrical Conductivity In Growing Media With Additional Nit...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Greenhouse plants are usually grown in vegetative containers filled with substrates. Peat is the main substrate component used in greenhouses in the US and Europe [2,3] and typically accounts for 50-80% of the total substrate volume [4,5]. The remaining 50-20% is usually made up of secondary materials such as perlite, lignin, mineral wool [6,7], vermiculite, sand, coconut fiber, or pine bark.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Response of Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) to Waste Wood Fiber Substrates and Additional Nitrogen Fertilization

Čepulienė

Butkevičienė

Skinulienė

et al. 2022

Plants

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As the consumption of plant products grown under regulated-climate conditions intensifies, its production also intensifies. Peat substrate as a growing medium is widely used due to its desirable physical, chemical, and biological properties. Peatlands play an important ecological, economic, and cultural role in human well-being, but their resources are decreasing, so wood fiber can be used as a substitute for peat substrate. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) were cultivated in growing media (Factor A) of peat substrate and wood fiber: (1) peat substrate (PS); (2) wood fiber (WF); (3) WF and PS 50:50 v/v; or (4) WF and PS 25:75 v/v. To evaluate the amount of additional nitrogen, four fertilization rates were used (Factor B): (1) conventional fertilization (CF); (2) N13; (3) N23; or (4) N30. The yield of cucumbers grown in wood fiber depended on the amount of additional nitrogen. When plants were fertilized with the highest rate of additional nitrogen, N30, their yield increased by 22% compared to the yield of cucumbers that were grown in wood fiber using conventional fertilization. Chlorophyll synthesis was the most intense in the leaves of cucumbers grown in wood fiber when the plants were additionally fertilized with N23 and N30, and in mixtures of wood fiber with peat substrate in ratios of 50:50 and 25:75, fertilized with N23 and N13, respectively. In summary, it can be argued that cucumbers can be grown in wood fiber and in a mixture with peat substrate in a ratio of 50:50, but additional nitrogen is needed to compensate for the amount of nitrogen immobilized in the fiber.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Electrical Conductivity In Growing Media With Additional Nit...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Response of Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) to Waste Wood Fiber Substrates and Additional Nitrogen Fertilization

Čepulienė

Butkevičienė

Skinulienė

et al. 2022

Plants

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“…Stone wool (sometimes referred to as rock wool) is also widely used as a plant substrate in greenhouses in soilless cultivation such as hydroponic systems since the 1970s 10 , 11 . There, some useful attributes of stone wool include enabling an easy recirculation of water, decrease of water usage, reuse of the nutrients, and absence of soil diseases 11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing alkali activation of waste stone wool from greenhouses combined with direct foaming or granulation to obtain recycled plant substrate

de Oliveira,

Jokipii-Lukkari,

Luukkonen

2024

Open Res Europe

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Background Stone wool is commonly used as a plant substrate in soilless cultivation and discarded after one growing season. Stone wool waste is difficult to recycle, and thus it is typically landfilled. Alkali-activation of stone wool (i.e., milling and mixing with an alkaline solution) has been shown to be a feasible way to upcycle this waste fraction into, for example, construction products. In this study, the aim was to develop recycled plant substrate from stone wool waste from greenhouses via alkali activation. Methods Waste stone wool from greenhouses was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and mixed with sodium silicate solution either directly or after ball milling. The alkali-activation process was combined with the addition of H2O2, pre-made foam, or granulation to obtain suitable porous material for the plant substrate application. Preliminary greenhouse cultivation experiments of pea (Pisum sativum) were conducted with alkali-activated stone wool mixed with peat (a weight ratio of 1:1) and fertility analysis of the mixture were conducted. Results The results indicated that the most feasible production method was to use ball-milled stone wool and to combine alkali activation with granulation. The obtained granules could reach 2.7 MPa as compressive strength while the other methods resulted in very fragile material. The preliminary greenhouse cultivation experiments revealed that there were significant levels of nutrients (Ca, P, K, and S) and alkalinity leached from the granules which hindered the growth of pea. The high P and S amounts were also confirmed by the XRF results of stone wool. Conclusions It can be concluded that the developed granules did not function well as a plant substrate for pea but could enable the re-utilization of the nutrients contained in the greenhouse stone wool waste. Moreover, their application to acidic sulfate soils could be feasible as it would utilize the alkalinity of granules.

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“…Presently, there is widespread acknowledgment that coir stands out as a renewable energy source with substantial potential for replacing peat. However, the higher cost of coir renders it a less favorable choice for businesses engaged in the production of SS [10]. Numerous experts express concern regarding the identification of an efficient and cost-effective renewable material to substitute for peat in SS [11][12][13][14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suitability Analysis of Kitchen Waste Compost for Rice Seedling Substrate Preparation

Ge,

Liu,

Liu

et al. 2024

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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To investigate the impact of kitchen waste compost on the formulation of rice seedling substrate, this study employed indoor seedling tray nursery methods. Six formulations, incorporating kitchen waste compost, peat, and vermiculite as raw materials, were prepared based on volume-specific gravity. The physicochemical characteristics of each seedling substrate were analyzed to assess their influence on rice seedling growth, considering the cost implications of synthesizing different formulations. The findings revealed a significant alteration in both the physicochemical parameters of the seedling substrate and the growth indexes of rice seedlings as the substitution of peat by kitchen waste compost increased. The formulation denoted as WF1 exhibited physicochemical parameters and growth indexes aligning with all applicable standards. Notably, key physicochemical indicators, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), unit weight, and aeration porosity, increased gradually with the rising proportion of kitchen waste compost. Conversely, growth indicators such as seedling emergence rate, plant height, and stem thickness exhibited a gradual decline. The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzyme activities in rice seedling roots indicated that an increased presence of kitchen waste compost imposed significant stress on rice seedling growth. From a formulation cost perspective, integrating kitchen waste compost into the rice seedling substrate effectively reduced costs. The WF1 treatment demonstrated a 9.53% reduction in formulation cost compared to the CK treatment. The optimal formulation, consisting of 10% kitchen waste compost, 40% peat, and 50% vermiculite, was identified as better suited for the growth of rice seedlings, achieving a balance between growth performance and cost efficiency. In conclusion, incorporating kitchen waste compost in rice nursery substrate formulation can yield cost-effective solutions while maintaining acceptable growth parameters for rice seedlings.

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Comparison of rockwool and coir for greenhouse cucumber production: chemical element, plant growth, and fruit quality

Cited by 9 publications

References 55 publications

Response of Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) to Waste Wood Fiber Substrates and Additional Nitrogen Fertilization

Response of Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) to Waste Wood Fiber Substrates and Additional Nitrogen Fertilization

Assessing alkali activation of waste stone wool from greenhouses combined with direct foaming or granulation to obtain recycled plant substrate

Suitability Analysis of Kitchen Waste Compost for Rice Seedling Substrate Preparation

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