TY  - EJOU
AU  - Vamenani, Ramtin 
AU  - Brister, Ethan 
AU  - Li, ng 

TI  - Evaluation of Commercial Potting Substrates for Reproducible Growth of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> and <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> under Laboratory Conditions
T2  - Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany

PY  - 2026
VL  - 95
IS  - 4
SN  - 1851-5657

AB  - The potting substrate is an important determinant of post-germination growth in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> and <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> under controlled laboratory conditions. We evaluated four commercially available soil substrates—Sta-Green potting mix plus fertilizer (SPM), Sta-Green flower &amp; vegetable garden soil plus fertilizer (SGS), Miracle-Gro potting mix (MPM), and Miracle-Gro raised bed soil (MBS)—to assess their effects on seed germination and post-germination growth. Germination rates did not differ significantly among substrates for either species. In contrast, post-germination growth was strongly influenced by the substrate, with MPM consistently supporting greater biomass accumulation, stem elongation, and leaf production. Through integrated analysis of the manufacturer-reported nutrient composition and the substrate physical characteristics, including texture and moisture retention, we propose a mechanistic explanation for these growth differences. The superior performance of MPM likely reflects the combined effects of nutrient availability and favorable physical properties, including fine texture, aeration, and water-holding capacity, rather than nutrient content alone. Together, these results identify potting substrate choice as an important experimental variable affecting growth outcomes and reproducibility in laboratory-based plant research.
KW  - <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>; <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>; potting substrates; germination rate; post-germination growth; experimental reproducibility

DO  - 10.32604/phyton.2026.078683