Peanut shell compost as an alternative to peat and its effect on growth indices and properties of Viola spp. grown outdoors

Abstract

Peanut shells, leftover as wastes from peanut planting, in combination with considerable amount of compost can be used as an alternative source to replace with peat in cultivation of ornamental plants. In this experiment, five treatments in a completely randomized design with three replications were conducted outdoors at Lahijan ornamental plants research station. The treatments comprised of 2 peat + 1 perlite + 0 Shells Peanut composts (control), 1.5 Peat + 1 perlite + 0.5 Shells peanut compost, 1 peat + 1 perlite + 1 Shells Peanut composts, 0.5 Peat + 1 perlite + 1.5 peanut shells compost, 0 peat + 1 perlite + 2 peanut shells compost. The estimated parameters included number of flowers, plant height, fresh and dry weight of canopy, root length, fresh and dry weight of roots, and physical and chemical properties of substrates on Viola spp. that were cultivated on them. The results showed that replacement with peanut shells compost had a significant effect on number of flowers, plant height, dry weight of canopy and fresh as well as dry weight of roots in comparison to control. Increasing levels of peanut shells compost caused reduction in bulk density and an increase in total porosity, water capacity and air fill porosity.