Emergence and growth of cabbage seedlings in plastic, peat, paper, and newspaper containers

• Main Authors: Erika Mitchell, Seth H. Frisbie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017-01-01
• Series: Cogent Food & Agriculture
• Subjects: brassica oleracea; bedding plants; evaporation; leaf diameter; metals; recycled paper
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2017.1326444

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) seeds were germinated and grown for 35 days in an organic standard substrate contained in either plastic, peat, paper, or newspaper containers to determine whether the container material might affect growth. Days to emergence, days to first leaf, and developmental morphological traits and physiological characteristics were monitored. Differences in evaporation and pH of water in contact with the containers were measured in separate experiments. Evaporation was lowest from plastic and highest from peat containers, while pH was lowest with water in contact with peat containers. Plant growth was fastest and most robust in plastic containers as demonstrated by their shoot height, stem diameter, and root and shoot dry weights. Seedlings grown in newspaper containers presented exceedingly poor growth and showed signs of stress.