The use of biodegradable pots for the cultivation of poinsettia

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch) is a seasonal ornamental pot-plant because of its concentrated demand in the Christmas period. In Italy over 20 million of poinsettia plastic pots are produced per year, becoming a waste at the end of their utilization. A solution of this environmental problem could be the use of biodegradable and compostable pots instead of traditional ones. Nevertheless, it is necessary to verify whether these materials, although having biodegradability properties, are able to ensure the comparative levels of technical use as traditional plastic materials. In this paper, 3 different kinds of biodegradable pots (biodegradable polyester variously added with plant fiber or compost) plus a kind of traditional ones, were compared in the cultivation of poinsettia (‘Premium Red’), carried out in a heated greenhouse located in Southern Italy (40°38’27’’N; 14°55’21’’E; 50 m a.s.l.), with 2 cultural cycles regarding the use of different pot sizes with 16 and 20 cm of upper diameter. Results have confirmed that biodegradable polyester pots are compatible for the cultivation of poinsettia in both pot sizes. Moreover, biodegradable pots made with the major percentage of plant fiber are not very suitable for poinsettia cultivation, especially for those pots with an upper diameter of 20 cm.