Using Sheeps Wool as an Additive to the Growing Medium and its Impact on Plant Development on the Example of Chlorophytum comosum

The paper presents the results of the research on the possibility of using sheep wool in the form of wool waste as an additive to the soil for plants. Chlorophytum comosum was selected for the research, as a plant that is very easy grow. The wool was introduced into the soil in two ways: in the form of a compact layer on the bottom of the pot (sample A) and in the form of an even mixture with soil (sample B). The research focused on the impact of the wool and method of its deployment on soil humidity. The research showed that even mixing of the fibers with the soil provided plants with the access to water and prevented water evaporation. In addition, the presence of wool in the whole soil volume influenced the formation of Chlorophytum comosum root system. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with elemental analysis (EDS) enabled analyzing the relationship between the method of mixing wool fibers with the cultivation substrate and the degradation on the fiber surface. The studies have shown that single fibers dispersed in the soil (sample B) undergo decomposition easier than the fibers placed on the bottom of the pot (sample A). The decomposition consisted in damage to the epidermal layer and a decrease in fiber thickness from 35.8 μm for the reference sample (X) down to 29.4 μm for sample B. Furthermore, the studies using the EDS probe confirmed that the wool keratin content decreased from 30.5% (for sample X) to 22.3% (for sample B), due to degradation.