Effects of Rice Hulls as a Growing Medium Component on the Growth of African Violet

Abstract

稻殼(R, Rice hull)及Peat-lite(P,peatmoss:perlite=1:1)依不同比例混合成五種混合介質(Rice hull、R-P(3:1)、R-P(1:1)、R-P(1:3)v/v及Peat-lite)，栽培非洲堇"Dolly"及 "Silver Cerebration"兩品種。以水苔泥炭/真珠石各半之混合介質(康乃爾配方)，其植株生長優於含有不同稻殼比例之混合介質，但若於每公升介質中添加6公克魔肥(N:P:K=7:40:60)，則四種含有稻殼之混合介質，其植株生長與對照組有相近之結果，且其中以R-P(3:1)及R-P(1:1)栽值之植株對照組康乃爾配方比較，具有類似的良好生長。

African violet cvs. Dolly and Silver Cerebration were grown in rice hull-based media (100% Rice hull; 3:1 v/v rice hulls, peat-lite; 1:1 v/v rice hull, peat-lite; and 1:3 v/v rice hull, peat-lite) and peat-lite (1:1 v/v Finland peatmoss, perlite) as control. Plants grown in control media were supprior than others in the rice hull-based media while those in media amended with MagAmp (6g/l, N:P:K=7:40:6) equaled growth and quality exhibited by control plants. Especially, african violets performed well in 3:1 v/v rice hulls, peat-lite medium and 1:1 v/v rice hulls, peat-lite medium amended with MagAmp. Tissue analysis of african violet plants grown in rice hull-based media indicated higher K and Mn in their shoots and roots in comparsion with plants grown in peat-lite.