Vegetable and ornamental crops require high input demand to adequately support their standard commercial quality and yield. For these crops, a very high level of agronomic use efficiency of many productive factors can be achieved in soilless culture. For example, the benefits derived from the adoption of soilless closed loops for the recirculation of the nutrient solution are well known as a benchmark of excellence for nutrient and water use efficiency. The challenges that we now face are as follows: (i) making soilless systems more inclusive of sustainable and eco-friendly growing substrates, possibly available at a local level; (ii) replacing chemicals with more sustainable products (e.g., organic active compounds) as much as possible for plant nutrition and protection. These goals can be addressed by following different approaches, but the adoption of peat-free organic substrates may play a central role. This work investigates four organic materials, i.e., biochar, coir, green compost, and wood fibers, to assess their role in plant nutrition and protection when used as components for the preparation of growing media in the soilless cultivation of containerized crops. In further detail, the work highlights how these materials may support normal agronomic practices.

中文翻译：

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无泥炭有机基质在无土栽培可持续管理中的作用

蔬菜和观赏作物需要高投入需求才能充分支持其标准的商业质量和产量。对于这些作物，在无土栽培中可以实现许多生产要素的非常高水平的农艺利用效率。例如，采用无土封闭回路进行营养液再循环所带来的好处是众所周知的营养和水利用效率的卓越基准。我们现在面临的挑战如下：(i) 使无土系统更加包容可持续和生态友好的生长基质，可能在地方一级可用；(ii) 尽可能用更可持续的产品（例如有机活性化合物）替代化学品以促进植物营养和保护。这些目标可以通过以下不同的方法来实现，但采用无泥炭的有机基质可能会发挥核心作用。这项工作调查了四种有机材料，即生物炭、椰壳纤维、绿色堆肥和木纤维，以评估它们在用作容器化作物无土栽培中制备生长介质的组分时在植物营养和保护中的作用。更详细地，这项工作强调了这些材料如何支持正常的农艺实践。