Defects of perlite as a medium for plant growth

Abstract

Perlite, which is currently used as a medium for the nutrient culture of plants, causes deformity in a significant proportion of the seedlings of certain species. Further, because the hydraulic conductivity of perlite is low, up to 80 per cent of the water that it can hold is unavailable to rapidly transpiring plants. Capillary watering allows more rapid growth than frequent hand-watering, but, even with capillary watering, growth is slower on perlite than on vermiculite, sand, soil, or water culture.