Français
Jeanine West
Peat composes a significant portion of ornamental (nursery and floriculture greenhouse) container media as it has unmatched characteristics for water retention and plant production. However, peat harvesting activities impact climate change through the release greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and stored carbon, despite the rigorous restoration and management programs implemented by the Canadian peat industry. The ornamental horticulture sector is committed to environmental sustainability and is investing in a project to identify potential peat extenders to decrease the portion of peat in horticultural media used for commercial production.
The project objectives are to:
Investigate potential peat extenders (e.g., wood fibre, dried cattle manure, biochar) for availability, sustainability, cost, and consistency as well as the physical, chemical, and biological media properties of the various media; and evaluate various extenders on crop yield and crop characteristics (including root morphology and tissue analysis) through trials on at least six plant genera.
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