2005 Volume 4 Issue 3 Pages 275-279
Growth and nutrient concentrations in tomato seedlings grown in different types of biodegradable pots and plastic pots as control were investigated after transplanting with different amounts of fertilizer. The seedlings in biodegradable pots made with corn or palm were planted with the pots intact, while the plastic pots were removed before the control plants were planted. By 11 days after transplanting, the plants in biodegradable pots had developed shorter shoots and fewer leaves than the control plants. However, in the period subsequent to 11 days after transplanting, the plants in biodegradable pots given heavy applications of fertilizer grew similarly to the controls. At 26 days after transplanting, the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium in plants grown in biodegradable pots receiving the same fertilizer treatment as the control were similar to the control plants, with the exception of phosphate levels in the plants in biodegradable pots made with palm. These nutrient concentrations in plants in biodegradable pots that received heavy fertilizer after transplanting were higher than those in the controls. By 26 days after transplanting, the plants in biodegradable pots had roots extending from the bottom hole and/or biodegraded parts of the pots, and had produced new root systems outside of the pots; however, the pots were not fully degraded in the soil. This suggests that the low growth rate of the plants in biodegradable pots within the initial 11 days after transplanting was caused by the restricted root zone of the plants.
