Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’
<i>Phalaenopsis</i> is a widely cultivated ornamental plant of considerable economic value worldwide. However, traditional growing medium, sphagnum moss, is limited and non-renewable. It also decomposes slowly and is prone to environmental issues. Therefore, there is an urgent need to id...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Yun Pan Daoyuan Chen Yan Deng Shunshun Wang Feng Chen Fei Wang Luyu Xue Yanru Duan Yunxiao Guan Jinliao Chen Xiaotong Ji Donghui Peng |
| author_facet | Yun Pan Daoyuan Chen Yan Deng Shunshun Wang Feng Chen Fei Wang Luyu Xue Yanru Duan Yunxiao Guan Jinliao Chen Xiaotong Ji Donghui Peng |
| author_sort | Yun Pan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Phalaenopsis</i> is a widely cultivated ornamental plant of considerable economic value worldwide. However, traditional growing medium, sphagnum moss, is limited and non-renewable. It also decomposes slowly and is prone to environmental issues. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify more environmentally friendly and efficient alternatives. Biochar, a sustainable material with excellent physical and chemical properties, has been recognized as an effective promoter of plant growth. In this study, we investigated the influence of biochar derived from three raw materials (corn straw, bamboo, and walnut) mixed1 with coconut shell at ratios of 1:2, 1:10, and 4:1, on the growth of <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’. Over a 150-day controlled experiment, we evaluated multiple growth parameters, including plant height, crown width, total root length, total projected area, total surface area, and root volume. Compared to the traditional growing medium, the optimal biochar-coconut shell mixture (maize straw biochar: coconut shell = 1:2) increased plant height and crown width by 7.55% and 6.68%, respectively. Root metrics improved substantially, with total root length increasing by 10.96%, total projected area by 22.82%, total surface area by 22.14%, and root volume by 38.49%. Root biomass in the optimal treatment group increased by 42.47%, while aboveground and belowground dry weights increased by 6.16% and 77.11%, respectively. These improvements were closely associated with favorable substrate characteristics, including low bulk density, high total and water-holding porosity, moderate aeration, and adequate nutrient availability. These findings demonstrate that substrate characteristics critically influence plant performance and that biochar–coconut shell mixtures, particularly at a 1:2 ratio, represent a viable and sustainable alternative to sphagnum moss for commercial cultivation of <i>Phalaenopsis</i>. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-503db8cf45854ffeb06ec010cd184154 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-503db8cf45854ffeb06ec010cd1841542025-08-20T02:47:20ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011414209210.3390/plants14142092Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’Yun Pan0Daoyuan Chen1Yan Deng2Shunshun Wang3Feng Chen4Fei Wang5Luyu Xue6Yanru Duan7Yunxiao Guan8Jinliao Chen9Xiaotong Ji10Donghui Peng11Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaKey Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, The Innovation and Application Engineering Technology Research Center of Ornamental Plant Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province, National Long Term Scientific Research Base for Fujian Orchid Conservation, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China<i>Phalaenopsis</i> is a widely cultivated ornamental plant of considerable economic value worldwide. However, traditional growing medium, sphagnum moss, is limited and non-renewable. It also decomposes slowly and is prone to environmental issues. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify more environmentally friendly and efficient alternatives. Biochar, a sustainable material with excellent physical and chemical properties, has been recognized as an effective promoter of plant growth. In this study, we investigated the influence of biochar derived from three raw materials (corn straw, bamboo, and walnut) mixed1 with coconut shell at ratios of 1:2, 1:10, and 4:1, on the growth of <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’. Over a 150-day controlled experiment, we evaluated multiple growth parameters, including plant height, crown width, total root length, total projected area, total surface area, and root volume. Compared to the traditional growing medium, the optimal biochar-coconut shell mixture (maize straw biochar: coconut shell = 1:2) increased plant height and crown width by 7.55% and 6.68%, respectively. Root metrics improved substantially, with total root length increasing by 10.96%, total projected area by 22.82%, total surface area by 22.14%, and root volume by 38.49%. Root biomass in the optimal treatment group increased by 42.47%, while aboveground and belowground dry weights increased by 6.16% and 77.11%, respectively. These improvements were closely associated with favorable substrate characteristics, including low bulk density, high total and water-holding porosity, moderate aeration, and adequate nutrient availability. These findings demonstrate that substrate characteristics critically influence plant performance and that biochar–coconut shell mixtures, particularly at a 1:2 ratio, represent a viable and sustainable alternative to sphagnum moss for commercial cultivation of <i>Phalaenopsis</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/14/2092<i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’biocharplant growing mediumplant growth |
| spellingShingle | Yun Pan Daoyuan Chen Yan Deng Shunshun Wang Feng Chen Fei Wang Luyu Xue Yanru Duan Yunxiao Guan Jinliao Chen Xiaotong Ji Donghui Peng Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ Plants <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ biochar plant growing medium plant growth |
| title | Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ |
| title_full | Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ |
| title_fullStr | Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ |
| title_short | Biochar-Coconut Shell Mixtures as Substrates for <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ |
| title_sort | biochar coconut shell mixtures as substrates for i phalaenopsis i big chili |
| topic | <i>Phalaenopsis</i> ‘Big Chili’ biochar plant growing medium plant growth |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/14/2092 |
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