Feasibilityof sawdust vermicompost applicationt as potting media on growth and nutrition of Dieffenbachia amoena Tropic Snow

ABSTRACT:Vermicompost produced from sawdust (SV) were substituted at a range of different concentration into soil less bedding plant container medium, Peat: Vermiculite: Perlite (6:3:1), to evaluate their effects on the growth of Dieffenbachia amoena in greenhouse. Dieffenbachia amoena was grown in container medium PE: VE: P (6:3:1), in that peat substituted with 0%,10%,20%,30%,40%,50% and 60% (by volume) SV. The control consisted of PE: VE: P (6:3:1) alone without SV. Plants were frequently treated with a nutrient solution for seven month. The greatest growth of Dieffenbachia amoena plant resulted from substitution of 60% SV instead of peat in PE: VE: P (6:3:1) potting mixtures. There positive correlations between the increases in Dieffenbachia amoena growth and the concentration of nitrogen in leave tissue of plant. Because of these observation and analyses, we concluded that vermicompost cow manure and sawdust was high quality substitutes for peat.