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A substratum is a type of material that differs from soil in that it possesses a number of characteristics that provide support to plants while they also provide plants with an adequate balance between water and air. In order to carry out an evaluation of a substratum it is necessary:
1. - To know the characteristics of the substratum,
2. -To compare them to the ideal characteristics, and
3. - To carry out experiments regarding vegetal growth (Abad, 1995)
Given the fact that in the cultivation of crops in substrata, different from the cultivation of crops in soil, they grow within a restricted volume of area (determined by the size of the containers, trays, seedbeds, furrows, etc.), the quantity of water and air that they contain must be larger. Ideal soil is made up, in volume, of 50% solid matter, 25 % air and 25 % water. On the other hand, in substrata, the total volume of solid matter should not surpass 15 %, as what is sought is to increase the water-air ratio in the medium per unit of volume. That is why it is necessary to be thoroughly acquainted with the characteristics of the substratum that will be employed. The substratum’s fundamental physical characteristics take on utmost importance, as it will not be possible to change them once the substratum has been placed in the limited area that the seedling is growing in. This situation contrasts with that of chemical characteristics, many of which may be modified through specific cultivation techniques carried out by the farmers themselves (Ansorena, 1994)
Unfortunately, routine studies haven’t been carried out on the substrata currently being used, except when problems have appeared in the cultivation of crops, in which case, quite frequently, they are pinpointed when it is already too late. That’s why one must develop an in-depth knowledge of the substrata in use. Below, you will find the ideal characteristics compared to those found in Ultrafoam® Rooting Media’s substratum.
| PROPERTY |
OPTIMUM LEVEL |
ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Media |
| Apparent density (g/cm3) |
< 0.2 |
0.018 |
| Total Porous Space (% of vol.) |
> 85 |
98 |
| Solid Matter (% of vol.) |
< 15 |
2 |
| Aerating Capacity (% of vol.) |
> 20 |
32 |
| Water Easily Available (% of vol.) |
> 20 |
42 |
| Extra Supply of Water (% of vol.) |
4-10 |
10 |
| Water Totally Available (% of vol) |
> 24 |
52 |
| Water Available yet hard to reach (% of vol) |
15-41 |
14 |
| Capacity of Water Retention (% of vol) |
> 50 |
76 |
| Capacity for Soaking Up Liquid (in minutes) |
< 5 |
0.5 |
| Constriction (% of vol) |
< 30 |
0 |
| PH levels (Aqueous Suspension 1:6) |
5.3 - 6.5 |
5.5-6.5 |
| Electrical Conductivity (ds/m, 20°C) |
.151-0.500 |
0.500 |
| Capacity of Cationic Exchange (meq/100g) |
< 20 |
7.86 |
(Raviv et al., 1986; Abad, 1992; Bunt, 1988; Ansorena, 1994, compared to
Ultrafoam® Rooting Media, Castrillón I, 1998).
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CHARACTERISTICS AND BENEFITS OF SEMILLERO ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Media.
ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Media is a 100 % inert and sterile substratum, made from organic materials such as sand and dolomite lime, which expand with heat, and the substratum has the appearance of a foam. What is noticeable, first of all, is ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediaremarkably smaller proportion of solid matter when compared to that of any other material (a result of its high level of porosity). We can then assume that a specific volume ofULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediawill provide more available space for water and air than the same volume of any other substratum. That’s why carnations can grow in such reduced volumes of growers, reduced to the extent of those contained on a sheet made up of 162 cubes, given the product’s enhanced physical properties. Therefore, it is possible to disseminate twice as many carnation seedlings per unit of area using ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediathan the amount obtained using any other substratum, which translates, in other words, into considerable cost reduction in a greenhouse.
Another key advantage of ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediais that it is an alveolar material which holds physical characteristics that are very similar to those of the floral foams produced by Fenocol. Flowers inserted into this foam have their life spans extended, thanks to this product’s internal structure, which is made up of cells shaped by tiny capillaries that carry water in a manner similar to the way plant cells normally do. Hence, flowers or cuttings inserted into this foam display a substantially reduced level of stress due to cutting while they keep themselves hydrated for longer periods of time, creating better conditions for a quick healing process and the formation of roots.
When carrying out field studies comparing transplants, analyzing the bare roots, one can observe a temporary reduction in a plant’s growth due to post-transplant stress. When using ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediahowever, this is unlikely to occur as roots become very well protected from damage that may result when the plant is uprooted and transplanted in the field.
Moreover, ULTRAFOAM® Rooting Mediais a 100 % sterile substratum that, consequently, brings substantial cost reduction since it does not need disinfection and it comes ready to be used, not requiring any preparation nor mixing, leading to additional reductions, in this case, in labor costs. |
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HIDROBED
