EFFECT OF SOILLESS MEDIA ON THE GROWTH OF ANTHURIUM-ANDRAEANUM INFECTED BY RADOPHOLUS-SIMILIS

Four soilless media, 1:1 (v/v) pine bark compost-perlite, volcanic cin der, 2:1 (v/v) cinder-peat, and a 1:2:1 (v/v/v) rock rockwool-cinder-p eat, were evaluated in the greenhouse for their effects on the growth of Anthurium cultivars 'Alii' and 'Midori' and on the population incre ase of burrowing nematode Radopholus similis (BN). Nine months after i noculation with 2 000 BN per plant, root weights of 'Alii' differed am ong media. Plant growth expressed as shoot and root dry weight, root v igor, shoot damage, number of new leaves and flower number was less af fected by nematode damage in cinder than in the other media. These eff ects were also more pronounced in 'Alii' than in 'Midori'. The role pl ayed by cinder in reducing BN damage was not due to improved plant gro wth, because uninoculated plants grew better in pine bark compost-perl ite or rockwool-cinder-peat than in cinder. Orthogonal contrast analys is indicated that nematode damage on 'Alii' was favored by the presenc e of organic matter in the medium.