The Effect of Spent Mushroom Compost with Some Other Transplant Production Media on Seedling Quality of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) and Kale (Brassica acephala, L.)

Abstract

This research was carried out in order to determine mainly the effect of spent mushroom compost as seedling production medium on seedling growth and development of broccoli and kale. For this reason, spent mushroom compost (SMC), conventional seedling production medium (CSM) namely a mixture of decomposed farmyard manure, sand and garden soil at a rate of 2:1:1, commercial peat (P), SMC+CSM, and SMC+P were used in the study. Media temperature, seedling height, stem diameter, root length, mean leaf area per seedling, dry weights of leaf, stem and root, total plant dry weight, leaf, stem and root weight ratios, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, leaf thickness and net assimilation rate were investigated in the study. Significant differences were found between the seedling production media on the examined parameters.