2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Organic nutrient sources can provide nutrients, but it could also affect the substrate properties. Transplants are sensitive to physical and chemical properties of substrate and container geometry. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of blood meal (BM), feather meal (FM) and pelletized chicken manure (CM) on coir and peatlite substrate pH, EC values, ammonia (NH₃) volatilization and growth of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and bok choy (Brassica rapa chinensis) seedlings. The BM, FM and CM were incorporated in peatlite (70:30) and coir in combinations, with two different rates (each amendment at 0.25 and 0.50% by volume). Two controls, peatlite and coir, were fertigated with 100 mg^.L^-1 of 20N- 4.4P-16.6K. The pH of BM amended substrates was greater than without BM and substrates amended at the 0.25% rate and peatlite, respectively. The 0.50% BF and 0.50% BC peatlite amended substrates with Bok Choy had greater EC values than their control. Substrate EC values were higher when amended at 0.50% rate than 0.25% rate but some were only occurred initially. Both species grown in 0.50% BM amended coir and peatlite were the smallest and least developed. Both species performed well in the coir control. Seedlings growth and development comparable to the control (coir substrate) were grown in 0.25% and 0.50% FC, and 0.25% BC amended coir. However, significant number fenugreek leaves developed necrotic white spots in 0.50% FC coir. The leaf damage symptom was similar to ammonia toxicity.