Abstract
The effects of biochar (BC) on seed propagation depend on the type of BC, BC incorporation rate, base substrate, and plant seed species. Limited research tested BC-compost mixes for seed propagation. High percentages (70% or 80%, by volume) of BC with vermicompost (VC) or chicken manure compost (CM) were evaluated to substitute a commercial propagation mix (control) in three experiments. Seeds, including basil, coleus, edamame, marigold, okra, petunia, radish, salvia, tomato, vinca, and zinnia in Experiments 1 and 2 had similar or higher emergence percentages (EPs) and emergence indexes (EIs) in both BC:VC mixes, while celosia, cowpea, corn, and pumpkin had lower EPs or EIs in either 8BC:2VC or 7BC:3VC mixes compared to the control. Seedling fresh weights in both BC:VC mixes were similar to the control except for vinca, pumpkin, marigold, and salvia. The BC:VC mixes had no negative effects on plant dry weights at 7 weeks after transplanting. In Experiment 3, BC:CM mixes suppressed the seed germination or seedling growth of coleus, corn, cowpea, marigold, petunia, pumpkin, radish, salvia, vinca, watermelon, and zinnia due to high pH and CM’s high electrical conductivity. Therefore, 7BC:3VC and 8BC:2VC can be used as seed propagation mix, while 7BC:3CM and 8BC:2CM are not recommended.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Eleven listed species had similar or higher seed emergence in biochar vermicompost mixes.
- Taxon
- basil
Ocimum basilicume0 - Treatment
- both BC:VC mixese0
- Outcome
- emergence percentages (EPs) and emergence indexes (EIs)e0
- Direction
- similar or highere0
- Qualifier
- coleus, edamame, marigold, okra, petunia, radish, salvia, tomato, vinca, and zinniae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Seeds, including basil, coleus, edamame, marigold, okra, petunia, radish, salvia, tomato, vinca, and zinnia in Experiments 1 and 2 had similar or higher emergence percentages (EPs) and emergence indexes (EIs) in both BC:VC mixes”
Claim · model-written summary
Celosia, cowpea, corn and pumpkin had lower seed emergence in a biochar vermicompost mix.
- Treatment
- 8BC:2VC or 7BC:3VC mixese0
- Outcome
- EPs or EIse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Qualifier
- cowpea, corn, and pumpkine0
- Comparator
- the controle0
CelosiaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“celosia, cowpea, corn, and pumpkin had lower EPs or EIs in either 8BC:2VC or 7BC:3VC mixes compared to the control.”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling fresh weights were similar to control except for four species.
- Treatment
- both BC:VC mixese0
- Outcome
- Seedling fresh weightse0
- Direction
- similare0
- Qualifier
- except for vinca, pumpkin, marigold, and salviae0
- Comparator
- the controle0
VincaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Seedling fresh weights in both BC:VC mixes were similar to the control except for vinca, pumpkin, marigold, and salvia.”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar vermicompost mixes had no negative effect on plant dry weights at seven weeks.
- Taxon
- plante0
- Treatment
- BC:VC mixese0
- Outcome
- plant dry weightse0
- Direction
- no negative effectse0
- Qualifier
- 7 weeks after transplantinge0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The BC:VC mixes had no negative effects on plant dry weights at 7 weeks after transplanting.”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar chicken manure compost mixes suppressed germination or growth in listed species.
- Treatment
- BC:CM mixese0
- Outcome
- seed germination or seedling growthe0
- Direction
- suppressede0
- Qualifier
- corn, cowpea, marigold, petunia, pumpkin, radish, salvia, vinca, watermelon, and zinniae0
ColeusNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“BC:CM mixes suppressed the seed germination or seedling growth of coleus, corn, cowpea, marigold, petunia, pumpkin, radish, salvia, vinca, watermelon, and zinnia due to high pH and CM’s high electrical conductivity.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend 7BC:3VC and 8BC:2VC as seed propagation mixes.
Verbatim
e0“7BC:3VC and 8BC:2VC can be used as seed propagation mix”
t0“plant dry weights at 7 weeks after transplanting”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors do not recommend 7BC:3CM and 8BC:2CM.
Verbatim
e0“7BC:3CM and 8BC:2CM are not recommended”
t0“plant dry weights at 7 weeks after transplanting”
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See all 73 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.