Assessment of some quantitative and qualitative traits of ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) in response to bio-fertilizer and different substrates

in order to study the effect of organic compounds and phosphate bio-fertilizer on some of the quantitative and qualitative attributes of ivy geranium (Pelarginum peltatum)، a factorial experiment، based on randomized complete blocks design، was carried out using two factors including phosphate bio-fertilizer (Barvar-2) at two levels (B0: no phosphate bio-fertilizer and B1: application of phosphate bio-fertilizer) and different substrates at 8 levels (M1: garden soil + sand، M2: garden soil + cocopeat + solid waste compost، M3: garden soil + sand + water tank soil، M4: garden soil + cocopeat + water tank soil، M5: garden soil + sand + solid waste compost، M6: garden soil + sand + solid waste compost + water tank soil، M7: sand + leaf mold + cocopeat + solid waste compost and M8: sand + tea waste compost + cocopeat + water tank soil)، with 4 replications and 256 plants. In this study، number of leaves، leaf area index، number of florets، anthocyanin content of petal، dry weight of shoots and roots and shoot phosphorus were evaluated. Results showed that both direct effects and interactions were significant on all traits. The best treatment was M8B1 (phosphate bio-fertilizer and sand + tea compost + cocopeat + water tank soil) as compared to other treatments. In general، the phosphate bio-fertilizer with M8 substrate can substitute or complete phosphate chemical-fertilizer in order to grow ivy geranium.