|
 Researchers at Warwick HRI, the plant research arm of
the University of Warwick in the UK, are ensuring that old news
stays in the headlines with their latest research into plant
growing materials.They’ve taken the by product of paper
re-cycling, that would normally be discarded as landfill, and
turned it into a peat substitute – with quite remarkable
results.
Peat is used by many growers, both commercially and
domestically, as a plant medium because it provides a clean,
uniform material; but this cleanliness also makes it particularly
susceptible to quickly spreading plant diseases, such as forms of
root rot.
Warwick HRI’s research shows that compost made from paper
waste has similar disease suppressing effects as green compost from
plant waste.
Environmentally this research could have considerable impact.
The horticultural industry in Britain alone uses some two million
cubic metres of peat a year with a further two million cubic metres
of peat being used by amateur gardeners. The ecological
benefits of paper based compost are obvious: less fungicide would
need to be added to plants and less peat would be required,
preserving ecologically valuable peat bogs.
News feature includes:-
Interview with Professor Ralph Noble, Warwick HRI
- GVs Domestic newspaper recyclingGVs
- Warwick HRI
- GVs Plants etc
- GVs Paper compost being mixed with peat
Cut story duration 3mins 56 secs additional soundbites and GVs.
Total feed duration 6 mins 50
secs.
|
