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Effect of Incorporation Rate of Polyacrylamide Hydrogel on Changes in Physical Properties of Root Media  

Wang, Hyun-Jin (Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University)
Choi, Jong-Myung (Division of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Pai Chai University)
Lee, Jong-Suk (Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Bio-Environment Control / v.14, no.3, 2005 , pp. 182-189 More about this Journal
Abstract
This research was conducted to determine physical properties of four root media, peatmoss + vermiculite (1:1, v/v; PV), peatmoss + composted rice hall (1:1, PR), peatmoss + composted saw-dust (1:1 : PS) and peatmoss + composted pine bark (1:1 PB), as influenced by incorporation rate of Stock-sorb C (STSB). Each root medium containing STSB was packed in 22 cm diameter plastic pot and the physical properties were determined at 5 weeks after packing. As incorporation rate of STSB were elevated, total porosity increased in PV, PS and PB media with statistical differences at $5{\%}$ level. Those also resulted in increase of container capacity in PS and PB media, but statistical differences were not observed in PV and PR media. Elevated incorporation rate of STSB in PV, PS and PB media resulted in increase of air space with statistical differences. Trends in air space of the three root media showed a linear as well as quadratic responses to STSB contents of media. As incorporation rate of STSB increased, more water was retained in four root media at the soil moisture tension of 4.90 kPa, 9.81 kPa, 29.4 kPa and 1.5 MPa. The amount of water retained in PS medium was the highest at the moisture tension at 29.4 kPa and 1.5 MPa followed by PB, PR and PV medium. These results indicated that elevation of incorporation rate of STSB to various root media increased moisture retention capacity, but did not increase the available water holding capacity.
Keywords
available water; container capacity; total porosity; unavailable water;
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