• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.508-512
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• 2000

Growth of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) 'Kumtap', tomato (Lycoperisocon esculentum) 'Seokwang', petunia (Petunia hybrida) 'Madness Rose', and pansy (Viola tricolor) 'Magestic Giant' in mixtures of chestnut woodchips and granular rockwool at 25:75, 50:50, or 75:25 (v/v) was examined. Chestnut woodchips were soaked in water for 48 hours or aged in open field for 6 months in order to remove substances impeding plant growth. A commercial plug medium was used as the control. All treatments showed in a similar result in red pepper, petunia, and pansy. Plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, and chlorophyll content in media containing chestnut woodchips, especially in higher proportions, were poorer as compared to those in the control. On the contrary, height, fresh weight, and dry weight of tomato seedlings in media containing woodchips were significantly higher than those in the control. For petunia, pansy, and red pepper, six month ageing in open field of woodchips was more favorable for growth than 48 hour water soaking. Emergance of petunia seed was inferior, especially when woodchip content was higher, to the other crops with a resultant growth suppression. From the results, chestnut woodchips proved to be a practical material as a medium component only in tomato plants.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2003

Rockwool slabs used for hydroponic cultures are expected to have potential to be reused after breakdown as a growing medium component for hydroponic culture of vegetables and cut flowers, pot plants, or plug plants. This study was conducted to test the feasibility of using particles of used rockwool slabs (PURS) mixed with woodchips for growing plug seedlings of ‘Nokkufang’ pepper. In the first experiment growth of pepper seedlings was tested in media of steam sterilized PURS mixed with chestnut woodchips (CW), which was weatherized for six months and screened through 2.8 mm or 5.6 mm sieves, at 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 28:75 or 0:100 (%, v/v). In the second experiment growth of pepper seedlings was tested in 20 different media containing steam sterilized PURS mixed with 4 mm chestnut woodchips (CW), 4 mm pinc woodchips (PW), coir, peatmoss, or perlite. In the first experiment, there were no significant growth differences as affectcd by particle size of CW, while the overall best growth was achieved il1 the control and l00% PURS. In the second experiment, seedling growth was enhanced as compared to the control in 100% PURS or PURS mixed with peatmoss, coir, or perlite. In contrast, growth was suppressed as the proportion of peatmoss or coir mixed with PURS decreased and the proportion of CW increased. Growth was better in the PURS + peatmoss than in the 100% PURS or PURS + coir, and when woodchips were mixed with coir than peatmoss.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2000

This study was conducted in an effort to meet the need for domestic production of hydroponic media and for medium development using recycled hydroponic rockwool slabs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the growth of plug seedlings of petunia 'Romeo' in various mixtures including particles of used rockwool slabs (rockwool particles) and wood chips. In the first experiment, seedlings were grown in plugs filled with mixtures of steam- sterilized rockwool particles and chestnut wood chips, which had been weathered for six months and screened through either 2.8 mm or 5.6 mm sieve, at the mixing ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, or 0:100 (v/v). In the second experiment, seedlings were grown in plugs filled with twenty different mixtures of steam-sterilized particles of used hydroponic rockwool slabs with 4 mm chestnut or pine wood chips, coir, peatmoss, or perlite. In the first experiment seedling growth was not affected by particle size of chestnut wood chips, was superior in the control (commercial plug medium) and in 100% rockwool particles, but was suppressed as mixing ratio of chestnut wood chips increased. In the second experiment, leaf length, and shoot fresh and dry weights were the greatest in rockwool particles+peatmoss+coir treatment, followed by rockwool particles+peatmoss treatment. Leaf length was suppressed as ratio of wood chips increased, especially of chestnut wood chips. Root development was the greatest in rockwool particles+peatmoss+perlite treatment, followed by the control, and rockwool particles+peatmoss+coir treatment. The growth was suppressed as the mixing ratio of rockwool particles, peatmoss, or coir decreased.