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This experiment was conducted to find out the optimum material suitable for decomposed rice hull-based substrate. Decomposed rice hull was prepared by composting fresh expanded rice hull for 5 months at 50℃ with 300 ㎎·L^(-1) urea supplement. Hot pepper, cucumber, tomato, and leaf lettuce were sown and raised in 128, 72, 72, and 200-cell plug tray filled with the decomposed rice hull-based substrates. Nutrient solution composed of N-P-K-Ca-Mg=8.0-2.4-2.4-4.8-1.6 me·L^(-1) was applied every 1∼3 days according to crops and growth stages. The mixtures of decomposed rice hull, sphagnum peat moss, coin vermiculite, and zeolite showed better root growth and lower T/R ratio than the mixture of 70% sphagnum peat moss and 30% perlite (v/v) in all tested crops. Best seedling quality was obtained in the mixtures of 60% decomposed rice hull, 10% zeolite, and 30% vermiculite, coir or sphagnum peat moss. In the decomposed rice hull-based substrates, N content of seedlings was less and K content was more than sphagnum peat moss-based substrate, and P, Ca, and Mg contents were similar to sphagnum peat moss-based substrate.
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