Effect of potting media on chemical and yield attributes of sword fern (Nephrolepis undulate J. Sm) under protected condition

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of potting media on quality parameters of Nephrolepis undulate J. Sm under protected condition in Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, Mudigere (Under University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga) during 2018-19. The suckers were collected around the region of Mudigere and are planted in 12" pot. The experiment was consisted with ten different treatments viz., T1 - Soil + Sand + FYM (2:1:1) (Control), T2 - Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost (2:1:1), T3 - Soil + Coir pith + Vermicompost (2:1:1), T4 - Soil + Cocopeat + FYM + Vermicompost (2:1:1:1), T5 - Soil + Perlite + Coir pith + Vermicompost (2:1:1:1), T6 - Cocopeat + Sand + FYM (2:1:1), T7 - Cocopeat + Vermicompost + Coir pith (2:1:1), T8 - Cocopeat + Vermicompost + FYM (2:1:1), T9 - Cocopeat + Perlite + Sand + Vermicompost (2:1:1:1) and T10 - Cocopeat + Perlite + Coir pith + Vermicompost (2:1:1:1). Each treatment was replicated thrice in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The results revealed that the plants which are grown in the media containing Soil + Cocopeat + FYM + Vermicompost (2:1:1:1) recorded the maximum number of shoots (6.17), croziers (3.10), fronds (12.00), nitrogen (5.10 %), phosphorous (0.59 %) and potassium (2.65 %) compared standard check.