Effect of different growing media on seed germination and seedling growth of papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Pusa Nanha and establishment percentage in high density planting (HDP) under Prayagraj agro-climatic condition
Author(s): Shivani Kumari, Dr. Vijay Bahadur and Dr. Annjoe V Joseph
Abstract: The present research work was carried out during August 2023 to October 2023 in Shade net house and October 2023 to December 2023 in main field condition of Horticulture Farm, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The 1st phase of this research work was based on effect of different growing media on seed germination and seedling growth of papaya. And for this the experiment was conducted with thirteen treatments and three replications in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The treatments were T0 Control (Soil), T1 {Pond Soil (80%) + Vermicompost (10%) + Perlite (10%)}, T2 {Pond Soil (60%) + Vermicompost (20%) + Perlite (20%)}, T3 {Pond Soil (40%) + Vermicompost (30%) + Perlite (30%)}, T4 {Pond Soil (70%) + Vermicompost (10%) + Vermiculite (10%) + Perlite (10%)}, T5 {Pond Soil (40%) + Vermicompost (20%) + Vermiculite (20%) + Perlite (20%)}, T6 {Pond Soil (10%) + Vermicompost (30%) + Vermiculite (30%) + Perlite (30%)}, T7 {Soil (100%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T8 {Pond Soil (80%) + Vermicompost (10%) + Perlite (10%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T9 {Pond Soil (60%) + Vermicompost (20%) + Perlite (20%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T10 {Pond Soil (40%) + Vermicompost (30%) + Perlite (30%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T11 {Pond Soil (70%) + Vermicompost (10%) + Vermiculite (10%) + Perlite (10%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T12 {Pond Soil (40%) + Vermicompost (20%) + Vermiculite (20%) + Perlite (20%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}, T13 {Pond Soil (10%) + Vermicompost (30%) + Vermiculite (30%) + Perlite (30%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm}. The treatment T13 {Pond Soil (10%) + Vermicompost (30%) + Vermiculite (30%) + Perlite (30%) + Biocapsule @ 500 ppm} gives the best result in terms of initiation of Germination (8.87 days), Complete germination (17.73 days), Germination Percentage (96.23%), number of leaves per seedling (9.53), length of leaves (13.06), breadth of leaves (11.73), Leaf Area (169.28), seedling height (30.13), seedling girth (2.62), Chlorophyll Content (41.07), Fresh Weight of Seedling (9.36 g), Dry Weight of Seedling (1.13 g), and control group ( T0) consistently exhibited the lowest values across all parameters measured. The 2nd phase of this research work based on establishment and survivability of Pusa Nanha in High Density Planting (HDP) under Prayagraj agro-climatic condition.
