MYKONOS2004 USE OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC SOLID WASTES FOR CONTAINER- SEEDLINGS PRODUCTION Μ. Tskldimi Aristotle University of Thessloniki, Deprtment of Forestry nd Nturl Environment, P.O.Box 262, 54 124, Thessloniki, Greece E-mil: mrin@for.uth.gr ABSTRACT This study exmines the effect of peridotite spoils nd rice hulls s components in pet-sed growth medi on iomss ccumultion nd nutrient concentrtio of continerized Pinus hlepeis seedlings. The results showed tht the spoils of peridotite limited the shoot nd root dry weight of the seedlings while the rice hulls did not significntly ffect it. Shoot nd root concentrtio of K slightly decresed wheres those of Mg, P, C incresed in seedlings produced in pet: spoils of peridotite medium. The ddition of the rice hulls to pet slightly ffected nutrient concentrtio of seedlings. ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ ΑΝΟΡΓΑΝΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΓΑΝΙΚΩΝ ΣΤΕΡΕΩΝ ΥΠΟΛΕΙΜΜΑΤΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΒΩΛΟΦΥΤΩΝ ΦΥΤΑΡΙΩΝ M. Τσακαλδήµη Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήµιο Θεσσαλονίκης, Τµήµα ασολογίας και Φυσικού Περιβάλλοντος, Τ.Θ. 262, 54 124 Θεσσαλονίκη E-mil: mrin@for.uth.gr ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ Η εργασία εξετάζει κατά πόσο η µίξη στείρων υλικών περιδοτίτη και ριζοφλοιού µε τύρφη επηρεάζει τη βιοµάζα και τη συγκέντρωση θρεπτικών στοιχείων στους φυτικούς ιστούς των παραγόµενων φυταρίων χαλεπίου πεύκης. Τα αποτελέσµατα έδειξαν ότι τα στείρα υλικά περιδοτίτη µείωσαν το ξηρό βάρος βλαστού και ρίζας των φυταρίων, ενώ ο ριζοφλοιός δεν επηρέασε σηµαντικά τη βιοµάζα των φυταρίων σε σχέση µε το µάρτυρα. Η µίξη τύρφης µε στείρα υλικά περιδοτίτη µείωσε σηµαντικά τη συγκέντρωση καλίου στο βλαστό και στη ρίζα των φυταρίων ενώ οι συγκεντρώσεις µαγνησίου, φωσφόρου και ασβεστίου αυξήθηκαν. Η µίξη τύρφης µε ριζοφλοιό επηρέασε ελαφρά τη συγκέντρωση θρεπτικών στοιχείων στους φυτικούς ιστούς των φυταρίων.
1. INTRODUCTION A potting medium for growing plnts, rrely conti single ingredient, often eing composed of two or more mterils such s soil, pet, pine rk, snd, perlite, vermiculite. However, the high price nd the limited vilility of some mterils on one hnd nd the demnd for recycle nd reclim solid wstes generted form y griculture, livestock, forestry, mining etc on the other hnd, resulted in the investigtion of vrious residues s components of continer growth medium [1], [2], [3]. Although there is not n idel growth medium suitle for ll production techniques, this should incorporte physicl, chemicl nd iologicl requirements for good plnt growth together with those requirements of prcticl plnt production [1], [4], [5], [6]. Thus, the im of this study ws ) to investigte the fesiility of replcing perlite (commonly used in seedling production) with n inorgnic nd n orgnic residue in pet sed growth medi y exmining the physicl nd the chemicl properties of the medi nd ) to ssess their effect on iomss ccumultion nd nutrient concentrtio of continerized Pinus hlepeis seedlings. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two experiments were conducted t n open-ir nursery of Stte Forest Service (N. Chlkidon, North Greece). The seeds of Pinus hlepeis were sown during Mrch. Experiment 1: it ws coisted of two medi tretments: pet:perlite (3:1, v/v) s control nd pet: spoils of peridotite (3:1, v/v). Spoils of peridotite (prticle size 2-4 mm) were derived from the mining re of the Grecin Mgnesites Compny. Three types of continers: pper-pots FS615 (482 cm 3 cell volume), quick pots T18 (650 cm 3 c.v.) nd plntek-35 F (270 cm 3 c.v.) were used for ech growing medium. The experimentl design ws rndomized complete lock with 3 replictio. There were 24 seedlings per tretment, per repliction (totl 432 seedlings). Experiment 2: it ws lso coisted of two medi tretments: pet:perlite (3:1, v/v) s control nd pet:rice hulls (3:1, v/v). The rice hulls were fresh nd they were otined directly from the mill. The quick pots T14 (330 cm 3 cell volume) were used for ech growing medium. The two tretments were rrnged in rndomized complete lock design with 3 replictio. There were 24 seedlings per tretment, per repliction (totl 144 seedlings). All potting medi used in the two experiments, were fertilized with mixed fertilizer (N:P:K 15:30:15 + micronutrients) t 1.3 kgr/m 3, potssium sulfte t 0.6 kgr/m 3, super-phosphte (0-20-0) t 1.0 kgr/m 3, mgnesium sulfte t 0.4 kgr/m 3 nd lime t 2 kgr/m 3. All seedlings were irrigted with n overhed irrigtion system, s needed. During the growth period, seedlings were wtered with mmonium nitrte solution (250 g/ 100 lit wter) every 15 dys. In erly Septemer, seedlings were preconditioned to wter stress (predwn lef wter potentil - 1.5 MP) in order to promote their resistnce to field wter deficits. After the drought, the seedlings were well wtered nd then were fertilized with 150 g potssium sulfte, 200 g super-phosphte nd 15 g mmonium nitrte per 100 lit wter, every 20 dys. 2.1 Growth medi smpling At the eginning of the experiments three rndom smples of ech growth medium were tken for the estimtion of physicl properties. Wter retention chrcteristics (% dry weight) were determined using pressure plte pprtus t - 1/3 tm (field cpcity) nd - 15 tm (permnent wilting point). The plnt ville wter ws estimted s wter retention t field cpcity minus wter retention t permnent wilting point [7]. The ulk deity ws determined s the rtio of dry
mss to volume t - 0.1 KP mtric potentil [8]. The prticle deity ws mesured using pycnometers with wter th. The totl porosity ws estimted s (prticle deity- ulk deity)/ prticle deity [9]. At the end of the growth period, three rndom smples of ech growth medium were tken for the determintion of N, K, N, C, Mg totl concentrtio, solule P, exchngele ctio, ph nd percentge of orgnic mtter. Totl N ws determined y Kjeldhl method. Totl concentrtio of K, N, C, Mg nd Cu were determined fter dry shing t 500 o C for five hours. The sh ws diluted y HCL 1:1 v/v nd filtered. The smple extrcts were nlyzed for K, N, C, Mg nd Cu using n tomic sorption spectrophotometer (PERKIN ELMER A Anlyst 300). Solule P ws mesured y Olsen method, using NHCO 3 s n extrcted solution nd then P ws determined y visile spectrophotometry nd molydenum lue method. The ph ws determined electrometric in 1 soil: 10 wter suspeion. The exchngele ctio K +, N +, Mg ++, C ++ were determined y tomic sorption spectrophotometry. The estimtion of the orgnic mtter ws mde y the loss on ignition (L.O.I.) method [7]. 2.2 Biomss estimtio nd plnt tissue nlysis At the end of the nursery growth period (Novemer), twelve rndomly selected seedlings per tretment, from oth experiments, were collected for destructive smpling nd they were trferred to the lortory for iomss estimtio s well s for tissue nutrient nlysis. For iomss mesurements the seedlings were divided into two prts: shoot (stem + needles) nd root system. Both prts were oven-dried t 70 o C for 48 hours nd then they were weighed. The root to shoot rtio ws clculted y the root nd shoot dry weights [10]. After iomss estimtio, smpled shoots nd roots of ech tretment were sujected to nutrient nlysis. The twelve shoot nd root smples per tretment were ech divided into three groups of four individuls, giving 3 replictio per tretment [11], [12]. All smples were pooled t mill with sieve 40 mesh nd were collected in plstic ottles. Totl N ws determined y Kjeldhl method. Totl concentrtio of P, K, C, Mg nd Cu were determined fter dry shing t 500 o C for five hours. The sh ws diluted y HCL 1:1 v/v nd filtered. Then, P ws determined y visile spectrophotometry nd molydenum lue method nd totl K, C, Mg nd Cu were determined y tomic sorption spectrophotometry (PERKIN ELMER A Anlyst 300), [7]. 2.3 Sttisticl nlysis All sttistics were clculted with SPSS softwre (v. 9.0 for windows). Distriution ws tested for normlity y Kolmogorov- Smirnov criterion nd the homogeneity of vrinces ws tested y Levene s test. Significnt differences etween tretment me were tested using nlysis of vrince (one-wy ANOVA). Wherever tretment effects were significnt the Duncn s Multiple Rnge Test ws crried out to compre the me [13]. 3. RESULTS 3.1 Physicl nd chemicl properties of the growing medi The physicl properties of the three formultio of the growing medi, used in the two experiments, re shown in the Tle 1. Wter retention chrcteristics presented gret differences etween the growing medi. The retined wter t field cpcity (-1/3 tm), t permnent wilting point (-15 tm) s well s the ville wter were greter in the medium pet:perlite (246.56%, 196.05%, 50.51% respectively) nd were much lower in the medium pet: peridotite spoils (54.19%, 26.60%, 27.59% respectively). The ulk deity of the medium pet:perlite ws reltively similr to ulk deity of the medium pet: rice hulls nd rnged from 0.096 to 0.099 g/cm 3. On the
contrry, the ddition of peridotite spoils to pet much incresed the ulk deity to 0.449 g/cm 3. No differences were detected in the totl porosity etween the three growing medi which rnged from 71.17 to 80.08%. TABLE 1. Physicl properties of the three growing medi formultio Physicl properties pet:perlite (3:1) pet:peridotite spoils (3:1) pet:rice hulls (3:1) Field cpcity (%) 246.56 54.19 149.81 Permnent wilting point (%) 196.05 26.60 128.08 Plnt ville wter (%) 50.51 27.59 21.73 Bulk deity (g/cm 3 ) 0.096 0.449 0.099 Prticle deity (g/ cm 3 ) 0.33 2.00 0.50 Totl porosity (%) 71.17 77.55 80.08 Generlly dequte mounts of nutrients were retined in the studied growing medi (Tles 2 nd 3). The ddition of peridotite spoils to pet much decresed the N totl concentrtion nd the percentge of orgnic mtter, incresed the Mg totl concentrtion in extremely high vlue (25.85 mg/g) nd s coequence incresed the rtio Mg/C, while did not ffect the ph vlue in reltion to control (7.1 to 7.5) (Tle 2). On the contrry, the ddition of rice hulls to pet incresed the N, K, N totl concentrtio, the percentge of the orgnic mtter nd decresed the ph vlue to 6.1. TABLE 2: Chemicl properties of the growing medi used in the two experiments. The mounts of the nutrients re the totl concentrtio. Growing medi N % K mg/g N mg/g C mg/g Mg mg/g ph Orgnic mtter % Pet:perlite (3:1) 0.54 0.17 0.35 11.65 1.40 7.1 58.65 Pet:peridotite spoils (3:1) 0.21 0.20 0.20 11.08 25.85 7.5 25.07 Pet: rice hulls (3:1) 0.62 0.49 0.44 11.90 1.70 6.1 65.21 As it is shown in Tle 3, the medium pet: perlite (3:1) presented the higher concentrtion of solule P (10 mg/100g) thn the other two growing medi. The ddition of peridotite spoils to pet significntly reduced the concentrtio of K + nd C ++. There were no other remrkle differences in the concentrtio of exchngele ctio etween the three growing medi. TABLE 3: Exchngele ctio nd the solule P of the growing medi used in the two experiments. Growing medi P (mg/100 g) K + (meq/100 g) N + (meq/ 100 g) C ++ (meq/100g) Mg ++ (meq/100 g) pet:perlite (3:1) 10.0 0.36 0.65 14.12 3.17 pet:peridotite spoils (3:1) 5.0 0.06 0.43 4.87 4.03 pet: rice hulls (3:1) 5.0 0.16 0.86 11.06 2.97 3.2 Biomss ccumultion of seedlings The results from the first experiment reveled tht the ddition of peridotite spoils to pet significntly reduced the shoot dry weight, root dry weight nd totl dry weight of seedlings, in ll continer types used. However, the R/S rtio remined unffected y the growth medium tretment (Figures 1-4). At the second experiment, the ddition of rw rice hulls to pet did not significntly ffect the dry weights of the seedlings (Figure 5). The totl dry weight of the seedling rnged from 3.38 to 4.15 g.
Shoot dry weight (g) 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 Pper-pots Quick -pots T18 Plntek-35F Root dry weight (g) 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Pper-pots Quick -pots T18 Plntek-35F 0.0 0.0 Pet: perlite Pet: peridotite Pet: perlite Pet: peridotite Totl dry weight (g) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Pper-pots Quick -pots T18 Plntek-35F R / S 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 Pperpots Quick - pots T18 Plntek- 35F 0 0 Pet: perlite Pet: peridotite Pet: perlite Pet: peridotite Figures 1-4 : Effect of replcing perlite with spoils of peridotite on seedling iomss. Vlues re me ± stndrd error. For the sme continer type, the me followed y different letters, re significntly different (P< 0.05, n=12, Duncn test). = non significnt differences (P>0.05). Dry weight (g) 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 Pet:perlite (3:1) Pet:rice hulls (3:1) Shoot dry weight (g) Root dry weight (g) Totl dry weight of seedling (g) Figure 5: Effect of replcing perlite with rice hulls on seedling iomss. Vlues re me ± stndrd error, : non significnt differences (P>0.05).
3.3 Nutrient concentrtio in the seedlings As it is shown in the Tle 4, seedlings grown in pet: peridotite spoils presented significntly greter P nd Mg concentrtio in their shoots nd N, P, Mg nd C concentrtio in their roots thn seedlings grown in pet: perlite medium. However, no significnt differences were found in nutrient concentrtio etween the seedlings grown in pet:rice hulls nd seedlings grown in pet: perlite, with the following exception; P concentrtion of roots ws significntly greter in seedlings grown in pet:perlite (Tle 5). TABLE 4: Nutrient concentrtio in shoots nd roots of one-yer old Pinus hlepeis seedlings grown in pet:perlite (3:1) nd pet:peridotite spoils (3:1) medium Shoots Growing medi Continer type N % P mg/g Mg mg/g K mg/g C mg/g pet:perlite Pper-pots 0.99 1.00 1.85 7.52 5.50 pet:peridotite spoils -//- 1.05 1.43 3.63 6.25 8.46 pet:perlite Quick -pots T18 0.91 1.12 2.63 6.53 11.20 pet:peridotite spolis -//- 1.38 2.07 3.21 6.15 15.04 pet:perlite Plntek-35F 0.88 1.60 2.62 7.05 5.02 pet:peridotite spoils -//- 1.36 1.10 3.58 5.52 10.06 Roots Growing medi Continer type N % P mg/g Mg mg/g K mg/g C mg/g pet:perlite Pper-pots 0.64 0.80 1.28 3.33 4.27 pet:peridotite spoils -//- 0.79 0.95 3.21 2.84 9.99 pet:perlite Quick -pots T18 0.71 0.80 1.78 3.16 7.64 pet:peridotite spoils -//- 1.06 1.45 3.27 3.52 10.4 pet:perlite Plntek-35F 0.71 0.85 2.06 3.22 8.37 pet:peridotite spolis -//- 1.01 1.05 3.71 2.75 16.93 TABLE 5: Nutrient concentrtio in shoots nd roots of 1+0 Pinus hlepeis seedlings grown in pet: perlite (3:1) nd in pet : rice hulls (3:1) medium Shoots Growing medi N % P mg/g Mg mg/g K mg/g C mg/g pet: perlite 0.82 1.58 2.03 5.86 5.55 pet: rice hulls 0.95 1.63 1.74 5.93 4.29 Roots Growing medi N % P mg/g Mg mg/g K mg/g C mg/g pet:perlite 0.63 0.97 1.46 3.56 6.48 pet:rice hulls 0.67 0.70 1.22 2.79 4.99 4. DISCUSSION-CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study show tht the studied lterntive mterils (inorgnic nd orgnic) modified the physicl nd chemicl properties of the growing medium, which in turn, influenced seedlings iomss nd nutrient sttus. This effect ws more ovious in the cse of peridotite spoils which gretly reduced wter retention chrcteristics of the growing medium. The field cpcity, the permnent wilting point nd the plnt ville wter of the growing medium were reduced y the replcement of perlite with peridotite spoils. On the contrry, ulk nd prticle deity were
incresed pproximtely four times compred to the control medium. These lterntio re coidered to e negtive for seedlings development [1], [5]. However, the increse of ulk deity ws lower thn tht recorded y the ddition of snd (0.63 g/cm3) [14]. The only evident chnge in chemicl properties, cused y the ddition of peridotite spoils, ws the extreme high concentrtion of mgnesium nd the high Mg/C rtio, which exceed the common vlues recorded for severl growing medi. Furthermore the high Mg/C rtio in the sustrte cuses nomlies in the plnt physiology nd reduces the growth [15]. This chnge coequently contriuted to higher Mg uptke y seedlings tht resulted in higher Mg concentrtion in plnt tissues, especilly in roots. Regrding the concentrtio of other tissue nutrients, peridotite ddition incresed C of plnt tissues nd slightly ffected N nd P concentrtio, especilly in roots. As result of ll the ovementioned chnges, the pine seedlings rised in the growing medium with peridotite spoils exhiited significntly lower iomss ccumultion. This cn e ttriuted to either wter limittion for the plnt or to higher ulk deity tht restrict the root development, even though the totl porosity ws within the proposed rnge for plnt production [1]. The ddition of rice-hulls to pet lso modified the physicl nd chemicl properties of the growing medium. The wter retention chrcteristics were lrgely ffected; the plnt ville wter ws reduced to less thn hlf of the control, while the totl porosity incresed. Similr effects were reported y Kuczmrski [16] nd Dueitt nd Newmn [17]. However, the rice hulls incresed the percentge of the orgnic mtter nd improved medium cidity for Pinus hlepeis seedlings [18]. Rice hulls incresed lso the N, K, N totl concentrtio of the growth medium in reltion to control, even though no significnt differences were found in nutrient concentrtio etween seedlings grown in rice hulls nd perlite, respectively. Seedlings of oth tretments exhiited similr shoot nd root iomss ccumultion. This shows tht rice-hulls cn sustitute perlite in growth medium contining 3 prts pet nd 1 prt rice hulls without cusing ny prolem in iomss lloction nd nutrients content of pine seedlings. On the contrry, erlier studies report tht the increse of the rice hulls proportion (pet-rice hulls 1:1) significntly reduced the seedling qulity of Pinus hlepeis [19]. Also, other scientists [20] reported tht the dry weights of egoni nd imptie decresed in medi contining 40-50% rice hulls. However, Kuczmrski [16] suggests the use of composted rice hulls thn rw one ecuse the rw rice hulls compete the plnts for the ville nitrogen. As conclusion it could e sserted tht the ddition of peridotite spoils to pet cused unfvorle physicl nd chemicl properties of the growth medium, limited the shoot nd root dry weights of the seedlings nd much Mg concentrtio incresed in shoot nd root nd resulted in high Mg/C rtios. While, the ddition of rice-hulls to pet gve seedling dry weights similr to control nd slightly ffected the nutrients concentrtion of seedlings. Finlly, it seems tht the physicl nd chemicl properties of medium cn prescrie the seedlings growth. The medium pet: rice hulls (3:1) cn successfully sustitute the medium pet: perlite (3:1), while the medium pet: spoils of peridotite (3:1) needs more reserch in order to e used for plnt production in Forestry. REFERENCES 1. Lndis, T.D., R.W. Tinus, S.E. McDonld nd J.P. Brnett (1990) Continers nd Growing medi. The Continer Tree Nursery Mnul Vol. 2, Agriculture Hndook 674. Wshington DC: U.S.D.A Forest Service. 2. Ingelmo, F., R. Cnet, M.A. Inez, F. Pomres nd J. Grci (1998) Use of msw compost, dried sewge sludge nd other wstes s prtil sustitutes for pet nd soil Bioresource Technology, vol. 63, pp. 123-129.
3. Ad, M., P. Noguer nd S. Bures (2001) Ntionl inventory of orgnic wstes for use s growing medi for ornmentl potted plnt production : cse study in Spin Bioresource Technology, vol. 77, pp. 197-200. 4. Heisknen, J. (1993) Fvorle wter nd ertion conditio for growth medi used in continerized tree seedling production: review, Scnd. J. For. Res., Vol. 8, pp. 337-358. 5. Reinikinen, O. (1993) Choice of growing medi for pot plnts Act Horticulture, vol. 342, pp. 357-360. 6. Tskldimi, M.N. (2001) Reserch on the production nd qulity ssessment of the continerplnting stock used in the fforesttio Ph.D Thesis, Aristotle University of Thessloniki, Deprtment of Forestry nd Nturl Environment, Greece. 7. Alifrgis, D. nd N. Ppmichos (1995) Description-Smpling-Lortory nlysis of forest soils nd plnt tissues Dedousi Pulishers, Thessloniki, Greece. 8. Heisknen, J. (1995) Compction of growth medi sed on Sphgnum pet during one-yer culturing of continer seedlings Suoser, vol. 46(3), pp. 63-68. 9. Heisknen, J. (1995) Physicl properties of two-component growth medi sed on Sphgnum pet nd their implictio for plnt-ville wter nd ertion Plnt nd Soil, vol.172, pp. 45-54. 10.Thompson, B.E. (1985) Seedling morphologicl evlution - Wht you cn tell y looking, In Evluting seedling qulity: Principles, procedures nd predictive ilities of mjor tests, Forest Reserch Lortory, Oregon Stte University, Corvllis. 11.Durye, M.L. nd S.K. Omi (1987) Top-pruning Dougls-fir seedlings: morphology, physiology nd field performnce Cn. J. For. Res. Vol. 17, pp. 1371-1378. 12.Royo, A., L. Gil nd J.A. Prdos (2001) Effect of wter stress conditioning on morphology, physiology nd field performnce of Pinus hlepeis Mill. Seedlings New Forests, vol. 21, pp. 127-140. 13.Snedecor, G.W. nd W.G. Cochrn (1988) Sttisticl Methods, The Iow Stte University Press. 14.Lennox, T.L. nd G.P. Lumis (1987) Evlution of physicl properties of severl growing medi for use in eril seedling continers Cn. J. For. Res., vol. 17, pp. 165-173. 15.Misopolinos, N. (1981) New method determining C, Mg with the presence of crontes. Appliction of the proposed method nd study of the C/Mg rtio of the soils of the Gltist region Chlkidiki Ph.D thesis, Thessloniki. 16.Kuczmrski, D. (1994) Amending the cost of medi Americn Nurserymn, vol. 179 (10), pp. 47-52. 17.Dueitt, S. nd S.E. Newmn (1994) Physicl nlysis of fresh nd ged rice hulls used s pet moss sustitute in greenhouse medi Proceedings of SNA Reserch Conference, vol. 39, pp. 81-85. 18.Htzistthis, A. nd S. Dfis (1989) Reforesttion-Forest Nurseries Gihoudis-Gipoulis, Thessloniki. 19.Ppionnou, A. nd D. Seilopoulos (1998) Methods of improving wter nd ertion conditio of the growing medi during forest seedling production Proceedings of the 8 th Conference of Hellenic Forest Assocition, Alexndroupoli, 6-8 April, pp. 111-119. 20.Dueitt, S., J. Howell nd S.E. Newmn (1993) Rice hulls s vermiculite sustitute in pet-sed medi for growing greenhouse edding plnts Proceedings of SNA Reserch Conference, Section 2: continer grown plnt production, vol. 38, pp. 62-64.