Demonstrative experiment with peat that has been warm during storage

27 february 2020

On 25 February the Product Group Peat was invited to RHP to look at a demonstrative experiment. The experiment is part of the new RHP research into peat that has been warm during storage. Why this research?

For peat the temperature in stock is an important parameter. Currently, peat which has reached a temperature of 45°C or higher may no longer be used under the RHP quality mark. This is in order to prevent its application from doing damage to cultures. Many years ago this boundary was set, based on RHP research.

It is analysed if peat which has remained below the 45°C boundary during storage, actually has an effect on the development of fungi and especially in packaging. Fungi are sometimes observed on the surface of peat which has been packaged. After consideration with the Product Group Peat RHP has therefore started a new research into the effects of peat that has been warm.

With this research RHP aims to:

•  gain insight into the relationship between the temperature expressed in peat storage and fungi development on packaged peat.
•  validate the temperature boundary again for peat in relation to the effect on plants (tolerance/toxicity).
•  strengthen the diagnostics in order to know whether peat has been too warm.

Initially it was agreed to start with a proof of principle for several analyses and tests for diagnosis. The idea is to develop a toolbox for the diagnosis of peat that has been warm, its plant safety and the vulnerability for fungus development.

In February RHP started the first series of bio assays to analyse the effect of peat that has been warm. During a walk-in morning and afternoon on 25 February the members of the Product Group Peat were updated on the first research results.