Physicochemical Properties of Root Zone Soil Based on Sand Blending with Coconut Coir and Peat Moss

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Soil amendment was necessary applied for the sand that had been used to root zone of green ground in golf course because of its low water retention power and cation exchangeable capacity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the mixed ratio of peat moss and coconut coir as soil amendment materials on the soil physicochemical properties applied to rootzone based on sand. METHODS AND RESULTS: The soil amendments were blended at 0, 3, 5, 7 and 10% by soil volume. The pH in the peat moss treatment was lower than that of control (0% soil amendment), and pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in the coconut coir were higher. The blending ratio of peat moss was negatively correlated with pH of rootzone soil ( p <0.01), and that of coconut coir positively with EC ( p <0.01). As compared with control, capillary porosity, the physical factors such as air-filled porosity, total porosity, and hydraulic conductivity of rootzone soil were increased by applying peat moss and coconut coir. For correlation coefficients between percentage of soil amendments and soil physical factors, peat moss and coconut coir were positively correlated with porosity and hydraulic conductivity ( p <0.01). CONCLUSION(S): These results indicated that the ap-plication of peat moss and coconut coir affected on the change of physicochemical properties of rootzone soil, and improved soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity.