The effects of different growing media on growth of liquidambar orientalis mill. tree seedlings

This research, was carried out in 2023 at the Alibeyköy Nursery of Istanbul Ağaç ve Peyzaj AŞ, belonging to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, to determine the effect of eight different growing media consisting of different mixtures on the development of Anatolian Sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) seedlings. These growing media mixtures are as follows in volumetric portions: 1-80% imported peat, 0% soil, 10% pumice, 10% river sediment, osmocote 2-60% imported peat, 15% soil, 5% pumice, 20% river sediment, osmocote 3- 40% imported peat, 20% soil, 10% pumice, 30% river sediment, osmocote 4-20% imported peat, 40% soil, 0% pumice, 40% river sediment, osmocote 5-10% imported peat, 40% soil, 0% pumice, 50% river sediment, osmocote 6- 30% imported peat, 30% local peat, 20% soil, 0% pumice, 20% river sediment, osmocote 7-20% imported peat, 20% local peat, 30% soil, 0% pumice, 30% river sediment, osmocote 8-10% imported peat, 10% local peat, 40% soil, 0% pumice, 40% river sediment, osmocote Osmocote Exact® fertilizer was used at the rate of 5 kg per cubic meter in all media. In the experiment, structural parameters of approximately 8-9-years-old seedlings were measured during a vegetation period. These are diameters at the bottom (0.3m stem height), 0.8m stem height and 1.30m stem height, two-way crown projection width, tree height and crown height parameters. At the end of the experiment, the weights of different biomass components were determined in the seedlings by destructive sampling. Biomass components are divided into branches, leaves, trunk, coarse root and fine root. In addition to the moisture content of biomass components, their ratios to single tree biomass were determined. EC, pH, salinity, maximum water holding capacity, organic matter, OrgC, CaCO3, sand, clay, and silt were analyzed in the growing media mixtures. Chemical analyzes performed on the growing media mixtures are as follows; Nt, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. For each biomass component, Nt, P, K, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were analyzed. All measurement and analysis results were statistically evaluated with ANOVA and DUNCAN tests to compare eight different mixtures. Among the single tree biomass components, only stem and fine root moisture contents showed significant differences between treatments. Single tree total biomass values vary between 9-13 kg/tree. Stem, fine root and total single tree biomass were found to be significantly different in different mixtures. The ratios of individual tree biomass components to total single tree biomass differ significantly between leaf, stem, and fine roots. Among the 10 nutrient analyzes performed in each component, copper (Cu) was not determined in the branch, leaf, coarse root and stem samples. The physicochemical soil properties and nutrient contents of the growing media mixtures analyzed are significantly different. As a result, the physicochemical soil properties of the prepared growing media mixtures show that different mixtures create significant differences in the growing media soil properties, structure and chemical characteristics of seedlings and biomass components. However, no obvious trend was observed.