| Soilless root substrates (substrates) are commonly used in containerized greenhouse crop production. Canadian Sphagnum peat (peat) is the most commonly used component in root substrate formulation. However, alternative components to peat have become increasingly desirable. Ground parboiled fresh rice hulls were examined as an alternative substrate component to peat. We found that a ground parboiled fresh rice hull product had physical properties similar to peat and substrates containing the ground parboiled fresh rice hull product had physical properties that were within the acceptable levels necessary for containerized greenhouse crop production. The chemical properties of the ground parboiled fresh rice hull product were also within acceptable ranges. Equivalent plant growth (plant height, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, and root dry weight) was obtained between plants grown in substrates containing up to 40% (by volume) ground parboiled fresh rice hulls versus substrates containing 0% ground parboiled fresh rice hulls. Additionally, up to 60% of the substrate volume could be replaced with a combination of whole and ground parboiled fresh rice hulls. |
