استفاده از الیاف خرما به عنوان بستر کشت و بهینه‌سازی قابلیت جذب و نگهداشت رطوبت به روش پاسخ سطح

In this study, possibility of substituting date palm fibers, as a growth medium, for coco peat was investigated. First, moisture absorption, retention and loosing rate in date palm fibers, coco peat, peat moss, perlite and soil were examined by completely randomized blocks design in two time periods (3 and 5 days), with two groups of materials (date palm fibers- peat moss- perlite and coco peat-peat moss-perlite) in 11 treatments and 3 replications. To find the best treatment in each group, the response surface methodology and desirability function were used, and finally the optimized treatments for capability of holding moisture in the medium were statistically compared to other treatments. Results indicated that potential of absorption and loosing rate of moisture in coco peat, peat moss, date palm fibers, perlite and soil was decreased, respectively. Maximum amount of water holding capacity occurred in date palm fibers’ group by combination of 65-20-15% in 3 days and 75-10-15% in 5 days and in coco peat group with combination of 75-20-5% in 5 days.