Assessment of partial peat substitutes for the production of Camellia japonica

Peat is widely used for container plant production. Due to its high costs, decreasing availability, and environmental concerns, alternative substrates for potting ornamentals are needed. In the present study, five peat substitute materials (local green compost, pumice, coconut fibers, coconut “peat”, and pine bark) were evaluated in order to assess their suitability for containerized acidophilus ornamental plant production. Camellia was chosen as the indicator crop and, in order to verify the influence of genotype on cultivation response, three different cultivars were used. The main physical, chemical and biological properties of the substrates were determined before and at the end of the culture and were in general within the acceptable ranges. Except for the negative effect of green compost, during the cultivation period (two years) the alternative materials did not affect or slightly improved the plant development and the ornamental characteristics compared to the standard substrate. Among the materials tested, considering both technical and economic factors, coconut fibers were a good partial peat substitutes for potted camellia production.