Effect of fly ash and pressmud as potting media components on growth and development of Epipremnum aureum

Abstract

Potting medium is considered as one of the most vital factors affecting the production of potted plants. As potting medium influences every cultural practice like fertilization, irrigation etc in the production of potted plants, formulation of a suitable potting medium for a given production system is particularly crucial. With the objective of formulating a suitable potting medium, a pot experiment was conducted during 2017-18 at ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune to examine the possibility of utilizing industrial by-products such as fly ash and pressmud as potting media components for production of Epipremnum aureum. Ten treatments containing different combinations of fly ash, pressmud, vermicompost and cocopeat were tested in comparison to control being Cocopeat: Vermiculite: Perlite (1:1:1). The results showed that, both fly ash and press mud which contained different plant essential nutrients significantly influenced the growth of Epipremnum aureum when compared to control. Among the treatments tested, Fly ash +Vermicompost +Cocopeat (20:30:50) was found to be the best potting medium which resulted in maximum plant height, number of leaves/plant, internodal length, leaf length, leaf width and petiole length of Epipremnum aureum. Leaf samples nutrient analysis data also showed significant concentrations of macro and micronutrients in Epipremnum aureum grown in potting medium containing fly ash and pressmud when compared to control. The study revealed that both fly ash and pressmud can be effectively utilized as potting media components for production of Epipremnum aureum.