A Review and Analysis of Horticultural Substrate Characterization by Sieve Analysis

The physical, hydrological, and physico-chemical properties of horticultural substrates are influenced by particle shape size. Sieve analysis has been the predominate method used to characterize size distribution substrates. However, literature shows a diversity techniques procedures. effects agitation time sample on distributions soilless were evaluated for several measures sieve analysis, including rate (a calculation percentage material passed each unit agitation), median, sd , mass relative span, skewness, kurtosis. To obtain standard (0.1%/min), pine bark, peat, perlite, coir required times 4 minutes 47 seconds, 7 18 10 minutes, 11 respectively. there was concern that unwanted breakdown may occur during some materials. Therefore, (0.15%/min) more friable materials also determined. As result, endpoint sieving reached sooner coir, at 3 42 5 14 6 24 Increasing resulted in decreased skewness all Sample sizes half twice volume recommended initial sieved did not change distributions. For precise characterization when characterizing substrate components, should be specified or collectively ensure consistency allow comparisons between results.