A Comparative Evaluation of the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Composted Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia L.) with Pine Bark Growing Media in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabucum L.) Seedling Production
Table 2
Media combinations and selected physical properties.
Treatments
Physical characteristics
TV, cm3
BD, gcm−3
PD, gcm−3
Total porosity, %
Aeration porosity, %
WHC, gcm−3
EC, mScm−1
T6 100% pine bark (control)
290
0.48
1.86
71.3
38.7
43.2
0.96
T1 100% composited tea tree
290
0.62
3.91
68.1
33.2
34.1
0.98
T2 80% composited tea tree
290
0.78
3.10
63.2
31.0
33.5
0.95
T3 70% composited tea tree
290
0.84
2.80
61.5
29.1
29.7
0.94
T4 60% composited tea tree
290
1.11
2.51
59.8
27.3
26.3
0.97
T5 50% composited tea tree
290
1.18
2.21
55.1
26.2
21.3
0.96
Fpr
NS
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
NS
LSD
—
0.04
0.22
1.5
0.7
3.4
—
CV%
—
4.6
8.1
5.3
3.8
4.8
—
T1–T6: treatments, TV: total volume, BD: bulk density, PD: particle density, and NS: not significant.
