Bamboo as an alternative substrate for peat moss

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05629
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39030:Horticultural science-related
• Research Institution: University of Hyogo
• Principal Investigator: Fudano Takashi 兵庫県立大学, 緑環境景観マネジメント研究科, 講師 (40314249)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 竹粉 / 培養土 / 肥料 / 園芸植物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As the spreading of abandoned bamboo forests is becoming a serious problem in Japan, new possible uses for bamboo biomass are being sought toward controlling their further spread. In the present study, we investigated the potential of bamboo powder substrates in horticultural plants’ cultivation. Twenty varieties of ornamental flowering species were sown either in a conventional potting substrate or bamboo powder substrates. After 30 days, the cumulative germination rate of each variety was not affected by the type of substrate the plants were grown in. Although the overall plant growth of French marigold, pansy, and strawberry showed a tendency of being inferior in the bamboo powder substrates compared with the conventional potting substrate, it was improved by the addition of compost. These results indicate that bamboo substrate has great potential to be employed both as a growing substrate for various garden plants.

Free Research Field

園芸学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、管理放棄された竹林が多くなり、全国の竹林面積は年々増加しています。放置竹林の拡大は、地域景観の劣化、生物多様性の悪化、野生動物による農産物の被害や土砂災害などをもたらしていると言われています。放置竹林の拡大を抑制するためには、竹材を消費する新たな用途を考案する必要があると思われます。そこで、我々は竹粉だけの培養土で園芸植物を栽培することができることみいだしました。このような研究は国内外でも他にみあたりません。家庭の一般廃棄物として処分可能な竹粉培養土が実用化できれば、竹材に新たな需要が生じ、管理放棄される竹林面積の拡大を抑制できると考えています。