Studies On Soilless Substrates Used In Pot Cyclamen Production

The soilless substrates of pot cyclamen production were studied in this paper.The result can be summaried as following:1. The advantage and disadvantage were observed on peat from Dongbei,sphagnum peatfrom Danmark and coir during the first experiment. These material must be amended to use in pot cyclamen production.2. The physical characteristics and chemical characteristics of treated media had distinctvarieties. C/N and EC of treated coir lowered than that of untreated coir obviously. Air-filled pore space of coir increased as mixing into perlite.For peat from Dongbei,water-holding capcity and air-filled pore space increased as mixing into coir and per lite.3. Especially, the coir media promoted significant growth of the root system of cyclamen.4. The morphological and physiological difference of cyclamen was significantly indifferent media. The quality of the pot cyclamen was significant improved in the sphagnum peat-coir-perlite(volume,50:25:25) and coir-perlite(volume,75:25) media,compared with control l(peat from Dongbei),the leaf number, crown diameter, height of cyclamen increased respectively 68. 0% 60. 4%; 52. 4%fP 50.7%; 36. 9% 36. 4%, and compared with control 2(sphagnum peat), the leaf number, crown diameter, height of cyclamen increased respectively 14. 0% 10. 2 %; 10. 4% 9.1%; 2. 4% 2. 1%. To various extent, days to flower were shortened in this two substrates.Compared with others,the growth of cyclamen was inferior and days to flower were delayed in peat of Dongbei and coir-perlite(volume,25:75).The dry weight of plant and overground part in coir-perlite(volume,75:25) and peat-coir-perlite(volume,50:25:25) was more than in other media.Compared with other media, the diurnal average Pn and the content of N , P , K of leaf were improved in the coir-perlite(volume,75:25) and peat-coir-perlite(volume,50:25:25).5. The economical benefit analysis results showed the income was improved 7.1%more than control l((peat from Dongbei),3.2% more than control 2((sphagnum peat) in the coir- perlite(volume,75:25);the income was improved 6.6% more than control l((peat from Dongbei) and 2.7% more than control 2((sphagnum peat) in peat-coir-perlite(volume,50:25:25).Compared with others,the income was improved obviously.6. Coir is produced from the husk of coconut and essentially a waste product.Consequently, environmental and costs concerns decided that coir-perlite(volume,75:25) media is the principal media used in production.The primary selecting of soilless media of the pot cyclamen were accomplishedand analyzed the reason of the effect of different media on pot cyclamen.The study resultis extensively applied to pot cyclamen production.