Abstract
The expansion of abandoned bamboo forests is a serious issue in Japan, and thus, new uses for bamboo are being sought to prevent their further expansion. Herein, we investigated the use of bamboo powder as an alternative potting substrate by comparing the growth of French marigold (Tagetes patula), strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants grown in bamboo substrates and common peat moss substrates under various fertilizer concentrations. With standard levels of fertilizer, French marigold exhibited inferior growth in bamboo substrates than in common substrates; however, this was rectified by applying two or three times the standard amount of fertilizer to the bamboo substrates. Similarly, the fruit quality of tomatoes cultivated in bamboo substrates with twice the standard level of fertilizer was similar to that of those cultivated in common substrates with standard fertilizer. There was no significant difference in the weight and brix of strawberry fruit produced by plants grown in the different substrates. Thus, bamboo powder in combination with increased levels of fertilizer could be substituted for common potting substrates in the production of horticultural crops.
