growth of dieffenbachia amoena ‘tropic snow’ in growing media containing sugarcane bagasse and sawdust vermicompost

vermicompost produced from sugarcane bagasse (sbv) or sawdust (s) were substituted at a range of different concentration in soilless bedding plant container medium, as a peat: vermiculite: perlite (6:3:1), to evaluate their effects on the growth of dieffenbachia amoena in the greenhouse. dieffenbachia amoena was grown in container medium pe: ve: p (6:3:1), in that peat substituted with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% (by volume) sbv. the control consisted of pe: ve: p (6:3:1) alone without sbv or sv. plants were frequently treated with a nutrient solution for seven months. the greatest growth of dieffenbachia amoena plant resulted from substitution of 60% sbv or sv instead of peat in pe: ve: p (6:3:1) potting mixtures. we concluded that vermicompost of sugarcane bagasse or sawdust was high quality substitutes for peat.