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Ferrer-Villasmil V, Fuentealba C, Reyes-Contreras P, Rubilar R, Cabrera-Barjas G, Bravo-Arrepol G, Escobar-Avello D. Extracted Eucalyptus globulus Bark Fiber as a Potential Substrate for Pinus radiata and Quillaja saponaria Germination. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:789. [PMID: 38592776 PMCID: PMC10975318 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore alternative substrates for growing forest species using eucalyptus bark. It evaluated the potential of extracted Eucalyptus globulus fiber bark as a substitute for commercial growing media such as coconut fiber, moss, peat, and compost pine. We determined the physicochemical parameters of the growing media, the germination rate, and the mean fresh and dry weights of seedlings. We used the Munoo-Liisa Vitality Index (MLVI) test to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the bark alone and when mixed with commercial substrates. Generally, the best mixture for seed growth was 75% extracted eucalyptus bark fiber and 25% commercial substrates. In particular, the 75E-25P (peat) mixture is a promising substitute for seedling growth of Pinus radiata, achieving up to 3-times higher MLVI than the control peat alone. For Quillaja saponaria, the best growth substrate was the 50E-50C (coconut fiber) mixture, which had the most significant MLVI values (127%). We added chitosan and alginate-encapsulated fulvic acid phytostimulants to improve the performance of the substrate mixtures. The fulvic acid, encapsulated or not, significantly improved MLVI values in Q. saponaria species and P. radiata in concentrations between 0.05 and 0.1% w/v. This study suggests that mixtures with higher levels of extracted fiber are suitable for growing forest species, thus promoting the application of circular economy principles in forestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Ferrer-Villasmil
- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad de Concepción, Coronel 4191996, Chile; (V.F.-V.); (G.B.-A.)
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
| | - Cecilia Fuentealba
- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad de Concepción, Coronel 4191996, Chile; (V.F.-V.); (G.B.-A.)
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
| | - Pablo Reyes-Contreras
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
- Centro de Excelencia en Nanotecnología (CEN), LEITAT Chile, Santiago 7500618, Chile
| | - Rafael Rubilar
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
- Cooperativa de Productividad Forestal, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile
- Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile
| | - Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas
- Facultad de Ciencias para el Cuidado de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastián, Campus Las Tres Pascualas, Lientur 1457, Concepción 4080871, Chile;
| | - Gastón Bravo-Arrepol
- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad de Concepción, Coronel 4191996, Chile; (V.F.-V.); (G.B.-A.)
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Campus Las Tres Pascualas, Lientur 1457, Concepción 4080871, Chile
| | - Danilo Escobar-Avello
- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad de Concepción, Coronel 4191996, Chile; (V.F.-V.); (G.B.-A.)
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (P.R.-C.); (R.R.)
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