Effect of Nutrient Solution and Azolla and Rice Straw Mixed Compost on Nutrition and Growth of Dieffenbachia amoena in Potting Medium

This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of Azolla and rice straw mixed compost in peat substitution on Dieffenbachia amoena. Factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with two factors of nutrient solution in 2 levels (1- without solution, 2- with 130 mg N L-1, 32 mg P L-1 and 117 mg K L-1) and 5 levels of Azolla and rice straw mixed compost (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 %) was done in 3 replications, with 3 plants per treatment in greenhouse conditions. Azolla and rice straw mixed compost was replaced with peat in the control. Compost was prepared from a volumetric mixture of 50 % Azolla and 50 % rice straw. Azolla and rice straw mixed compost replaced peat in the control treatment. The control bed contained 10 % perlite: 30 % vermiculite: 60 % peat (volume percentage). Growth factors including height, diameter, number of leaves, chlorophyll index, fresh leaf weight, fresh stem weight, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, leaf area, physical and chemical characteristics of growth medium and nutrients were measured. The results showed that the use of 45 % Azolla and rice straw mixed compost in replacement with peat (with formula 10 % perlite: 30 % vermiculite: 45 % Azolla and rice straw mixed compost: 15 % peat), in addition to improves the growth factors of Dieffenbachia amoena plant, reduces the consumption of peat by up to 75 %.