title: Use of pruning waste compost as a component in soilless growing media.
abstract: The objective of this work was to study the use of pruning wastes compost (PWC) as a growing media component for ornamental plants. The main physical, chemical and biological characteristics of PWC were analysed in order to evaluate its suitability for use in soil-less cultivation. Six growth substrates were prepared by mixing PWC with peat (P), ground leaves (GL), sand (S) and spent mushroom compost (SMC) in different proportions. Two different pot experiments were carried out to test its characteristics of production using perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) as indicators and the different media as treatments. The growth experiments showed that PWC required mixing with a nutrient-richer material to produce higher results. Therefore, substrates containing SMC (PWC+P+SMC and PWC+SMC) seems to be the most adequate growing media. After the statistical analysis, we concluded that the PWC could be used as a growing media component.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Silvopascicultura, Escuela Técnica Superior Ingenieros de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain. mbenito@montes.upm.es
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benito
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masaguer
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Antonio
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moliner
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D003124:Colorimetry; D029781:Cupressus / Q000254:growth & development*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008129:Lolium / Q000254:growth & development*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012987:Soil; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012822:Silicon Dioxide