Petunia Growth Response to Container Substrate Amended with Dewatered Aquaculture Effluent

Abstract

<jats:p>This experiment evaluated petunia (<jats:italic>Petunia ×hybrida</jats:italic> ‘Celebrity’) growth response to amending a commercial potting mix (F3B) with different amounts of dewatered aquaculture effluent (AE) and fertigating with a water-soluble, inorganic fertilizer or municipal water. The experiment was a completely randomized 2 × 5 factorial design with eight single-pot replications per treatment. At 39 days after planting (DAP), a significant (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> ≤ 0.05) substrate and water interaction existed for petunia growth index (GI), bloom count (BC), fresh weight (FW), and dry weight (DW). The 100% F3B, 5% AE, and 10% AE substrates benefited with a significantly (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> ≤ 0.05) greater BC, FW, and DW when fertigation was used; however, the water source had no effect on petunia BC, FW, or DW for levels ≥25% AE. Fertigating substrates amended with increasing levels of AE did not improve petunia growth. Conversely, when applying municipal water plant, FW and DW were the greatest using 25% AE.</jats:p>

Fish farming effluent application in the development and growth of maize and bean plants

“…Although in the present study the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were not evaluated in the different water types used, in the literature there are many reports on the content of these nutrients that influence growth in FFE (Castro et al, 2006;Danaher et al, 2013). According to Cyrino et al (2010), chemical elements from fish feed and fish waste have the capacity to increase nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in water.…”

“…Maia et al (2008) found that FFE application did not only supply the plant's need for water, but also for nutrients, which caused an increase in the growth of lettuce plants. On the other hand, Danaher et al (2013) verified that there was no significant difference in plant growth in the presence of FE in pots receiving different proportions of the effluent when compared to those that did not receive it. FFE reuse in agricultural systems can be an important tool for the management of water resources (Nascimento & Heller, 2005).…”

“…The FFE can influence plant growth favoring the cultivated species, provided that they present responses to its application (Hussar et al, 2002). The use of FFE in plant production has been studied for the cultivation of several species such as lettuce (Baumgartner et al, 2007), tomato (Rodrigues et al, 2010), melon (Medeiros et al, 2010), radish (Abdul-Rahman et al, 2011), petunia (Danaher et al, 2013), basil (Hundley et al, 2013), legumes (Meso et al, 2004;Santos, 2009;Lacerda et al, 2011) and grasses (Valencia et al, 2001;Abdul-Rahman et al, 2011;Lôbo, 2011).…”

Effect of Different Commercial Substrates on Growth of Petunia Transplants

“…vermicompost and at levels greater than 40% vermicompost, a decrease in flower production was observed. However, the substrate including 5% to 50% dewatered aquaculture effluent was not found to affect petunia flower number (Danaher et al, 2013). There was a substrate and water interaction for petunia SPAD readings ( Table 3).…”

“…Tomato seedling growth was greatest after substituting 25% to 50% pig manure vermicompost for commercial substrate [MM; Sun Gro Horticulture, Agawam, MA (Atiyeh et al, 2001)]. Danaher et al (2013) evaluated petunia growth response to amending a commercial potting mix (Fafard 3B; Conrad Fafard, Agawam, MA) with different amounts of dewatered aquaculture effluent. Growth of petunia was greatest after substitution of Fafard 3B with 25% dewatered aquaculture effluent.…”