Physical and chemical characteristics and analysis of plant substrate

Schafer, Gilmar; Lerner, Betina Luíza

doi:10.1590/2447-536X.v28i2.2496

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Review article • Ornam. Hortic. 28 (2) • Apr-Jun 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2447-536X.v28i2.2496 copy

Physical and chemical characteristics and analysis of plant substrate

Características fisico-químicas e análise de substrato para plantas

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Cultivation in protected environments and containers culminated in the need of the use substrates with specific chemical and physical characteristics; assuming that a fundamental role in cultivation of horticultural plants. In this way, the objective was to describe the main physical and chemical characteristics of substrates, as well as the main methodologies for analysis. As physical characteristics we can refer as examples: density on a wet and dry basis, total porosity, air space and water retention (easily available, buffering capacity and remaining water). The most important chemical characteristics in substrates include pH, electrical conductivity and available nutrient content. These characteristics are responsible for all the nutritional dynamics and the availability of water and air in the culture medium, so they must be known, tested and managed during cultivation. Thus, it is possible to establish parameters for plant cultivation in containers, being also possible to correlate its influence on plant development for scientific research.

Keywords:
container production; greenhouse cultivation; growing media; plant substrate; soilless culture

Characteristic	Unit	Formula
Wet density or current density	Kg m^-3	$\frac{W e t m a s s}{V o l u m e (m L)} \times 1000$
Substrate mass in the cylinder	g	$\frac{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e (m L) \times w e t d e n s i t y (g L^{- 1})}{1000}$
Total porosity	%	$\frac{W \cdot 0 h P a - d r y m a s s}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Air space	%	$\frac{W \cdot 0 h P a - W \cdot 10 h P a}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Available water	%	$\frac{W \cdot 10 h P a - W \cdot 100 h P a}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Easy available water	%	$\frac{W \cdot 10 h P a - W \cdot 50 h P a}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Water buffering capacity	%	$\frac{W \cdot 50 h P a - W \cdot 100 h P a}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Remaining water	%	$\frac{W \cdot 50 h P a - W \cdot 100 h P a}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$
Available water content	%	$\frac{W \cdot 100 h P a - d r y m a s s}{c y l i n d e r v o l u m e} \times 100$

Sociedade Brasileira de Floricultura e Plantas Ornamentais Av. Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 - Viçosa, Minas Gerais - Brasil, (32) 3379-4983, Tel: (32) 3379-4983 - Viçosa - MG - Brazil
E-mail: editor.ornamentalhorticulture@gmail.com

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[1] * Corresponding author: schafer@ufrgs.br