Influence of Soilless Culture Medium Composed of Coal Gangue and Rape Straw on Growth and Yield of Leafy Vegetables

Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis), lettuce(Lactuca sativa), amaranth(Amarantus mangostanus) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were cultivated in the pot in the biotron, using soilless culture mediums composed of decomposed rape straw and coal gangue (named T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅, the volume ratios of decomposed rape straw and coal gangue were 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5 and 6:4, respectively), using garden soil as control. After 30 and 55 days cultivation, the growth of fresh weight, plant height, leaf number and ratio of root to crown of each culture were measured and the physiological characteristics of soilless culture mediums were studied to determine the best soilless culture medium for the four vegetable crops. The results showed that the growth of vegetable crops in soilless culture mediums was better than that in garden soil, and vegetable showed highest growth in T₃medium and lowest growth in T1 and T₅ medium. It was concluded that T₃ soilless culture medium was the best for the four vegetable crops