Sphagnum farming substrate is a competitive alternative to traditional horticultural substrates for achieving desired hydro-physical properties
- Author(s)
- Raphael Müller, Stephan Glatzel
- Abstract
The provision of raw material is an important ecosystem service provided by peatlands. Using materials produced on re-established peatland sites can help to increase the interest of stakeholders in expediting further restoration measures. Promising possibilities include paludiculture and Sphagnum farming, which offer new perspectives for exploring renewable alternatives to peat as constituents of growing media. Therefore, gaining knowledge about processing and physical properties of the material becomes increasingly necessary. The hydro-physical properties of harvested and processed Sphagnum palustre L. biomass can compete with those of peat and coir, which are materials traditionally used in the horticultural industry. Even a partial substitution of peat with Sphagnum biomass increased maximum water-holding capacities and plant available water contents of mixtures while increasing wettability and hydration efficiency.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Geography and Regional Research
- Journal
- Mires and Peat
- Volume
- 27
- Pages
- 1-12
- No. of pages
- 12
- ISSN
- 1819-754X
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.19189/MaP.2021.OMB.StA.2157
- Publication date
- 08-2021
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 401103 Horticulture, 401905 Renewable resources, 105906 Environmental geosciences
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Aquatic Science, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Soil Science, Ecology
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/sphagnum-farming-substrate-is-a-competitive-alternative-to-traditional-horticultural-substrates-for-achieving-desired-hydrophysical-properties(c7adface-43cb-47db-9dff-38c629450fcd).html