Assessment of Plant Growth Promotion by Vermicompost in Different Progenies of Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.)

作者：Lazcano Cristina^*; Sampedro Luis; Zas Rafael; Dominguez Jorge

来源：Compost Science & Utilization, 2010, 18(2): 111-118.

The feasibility of incorporating vermicompost as a plant growth promoter into pine (Plans Ait.) nurseries was investigated. Pines were grown in conventional peat-based nursery potting media where the peat was substituted by 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 25% solid vermicompost. In addition, in order distinguish between possible physical and biochemical mechanisms, the effects of solid vermicompost and vermicompost extracts on pine seedling growth were compared. Five different open-pollinated pine progenies were used in order to evaluate the possible genotype-dependent effects of vermicompost. All pots were provided with adequate mineral fertilization in order to avoid nutrient limitations and arranged in the greenhouse following a bifactorial randomized block design. Twenty weeks after sowing, seedlings were harvested and their aerial and root growth were measured, as well as biomass partitioning and seedling maturity. Amendment with solid vermicompost at 2.5% and 10% significantly stimulated pine seedling height, but not aerial biomass. Vermicompost also produced seedlings with greater shoot:root biomass ratios than the control. Besides, we noticed a significant inhibition of aerial and root biomass with the higher dose of solid vermicompost (25% substrate substitution). No effects, either positive or negative, were detected in plant growth due to the vermicompost extracts. All the reported results were the same for all the different progenies assayed, and therefore no genotype dependent effects were detected.

• 出版日期2010