S13 - Session P2 - Crushed fibrous bamboo as a potting substrate for French marigold

Authors: Takashi Fudano *, Yuuta Akiba

The expansion of abandoned bamboo forests is a serious problem in Japan. To tackle the increase of bamboo forest area, new applications of bamboo are being sought. In this study, we investigated the use of crushed fibrousnbamboo as an alternative potting substrate by comparing between French marigold ( Tagetes patula L.) growth in bamboo substrates and common substrates. Crushed fibrousnbamboo was provided by Daiken Co., Ltd. Fresh weight of the shoot was greatest for plants grown in common substrate, followed by those grown in crushed fibrousnbamboo and bamboo powder (approximately 25% and 6% of the shoot fresh weight of plants grown in common substrate, respectively). There were no significant differences in the number of days from sowing to flowering and the number of flowers between plants grown in common substrate and crushed fibrousnbamboo. Anthesis was delayed and the number of flowers decreased in plants grown in bamboo powder compared with those grown in common substrate and crushed fibrousnbamboo. However, application of a high concentration of liquid fertilizer to the bamboo substrates can rectify these inferior qualities, as demonstrated in our previous research. Thus, crushed fibrousnbamboo might be used as a substitute for common potting substrates when growing French marigold under a high concentration of liquid fertilizer. We further hypothesize that the application of crushed fibrousnbamboo as an alternative biomass substrate can mitigate the problem of abandoned bamboo forests invading surrounding thickets and artificial forests.