Corn Wastes and Peanut Shell as Growing Media for Production of Red Radish Plants in Soilless System |
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| Authors: | Khaled A Farghly Hala H Gomah Mohamed MM Ahmed Reham M Abdalla |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University , Assiut, Egypt;2. Soil, Water and Environment Research Institute, ARC , Assiut, Egypt;3. Vegetables Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University , Assiut, Egypt |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Peat is considered the conventional growing medium in most soilless culture systems. The high cost of peat and the urgent need of agricultural wastes recycling encouraged the scientists and soilless culture users to search for an alternative growth medium where optimal growth conditions are achieved and help in the safe disposal of wastes. In the current study, peanut shell (PS) and corn wastes (CW) were used as growing media in comparison to peat moss (PM). The tested organic wastes and peat moss were examined with sand at three mixing ratios (1:1 “M1”, 1:2 “M2” and 1:3 “M3” raw material: washed sand, respectively). Red radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) plant were cultivated in 5 kg pots filled with the instigated growing media. Most of the recoded growth parameters were found in PS and PM growing media, while the lowest ones were found in CW. PS medium contained available N and P higher by 141 and 29% above the PM media. Although the peat moss gave the highest values in the measured growth characteristics, its high price decreased the net profit. The highest net profit value was obtained from PSM2 followed by PSM1 and PSM3. According to the obtained results, the characteristics of the growth media derived from peanut shell qualify them for use in the production of red radish in soilless culture systems. |
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| Keywords: | Red radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp sativus) peat peanut shall corn wastes soilless growing media |
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