Cation exchange capacity analyzed for nursery pine bark substrates

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Researchers determined the variability of cation exchange capacity in different batches of pine bark and studied the influence of particle size, substrate pH, and peat amendment on CEC. Part of the variation in CEC among batches was attributed to differences in particle size. Data showed that substrate pH within a range of 4.02-6.37 did not affect CEC, and that pine bark substrate CEC does not necessarily increase when amended with sphagnum peat.