Valorization of sieved crushed bricks as a component of compost-based substrates

Cultivation Substrate Composition Influences Morphology, Volatilome and Essential Oil of Lavandula Angustifolia Mill.

“…The lavender selection factor interacted with the substrate factor only for the survival rate, which ranged from 45.4% for Susa, 50.2% for Stura, and 57.6% for Tanaro lavender selections Table 2. Differences in Lavandula angustifolia survival rate, height, diameter, spike number, spike length and flower yield (grams of dry flowers per plant) after two cultivation cycles in different substrates (P:C = peat and green compost, 70%:30% v/v; P:A = peat and demolition aggregates, 70%:30% v/v; P:C:A = peat, green compost and demolition aggregates, 40%:30%: The addition of demolition aggregates to peat and compost raised the substrate pH in P:A and P:C:A when compared to P:C, similarly to what was observed by [45] after mixing crushed bricks to compost-based pot media for the cultivation of parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.).…”

“…Adaptation of plants to pH ranges different from species optima has been previously observed in other ornamental plants [46,47]. P:C had generally higher nutrient levels compared to P:A and P:C:A; nonetheless, conflicting results on how mineral nutrients affect Lamiaceae morphology and performance are reported in the literature [29,43,45,[48][49][50]. Lavenders were generally scarce after cultivation in P:C:A, with the lowest survival rate and spread plants, even if peat, compost and mineral material mixtures have been reported to support an adequate establishment of lavender [42] and other Lamiaceae species, namely L. dentata L., Satureja montana L., Thymus pseudolanuginosus Ronniger and T. caespititius Brot.…”