Effect of different growing media and varying pot sizes on the early growth of garden egg (Salanum acthiopicum), (Linn)

Abstract

The study was carried out within Federal College of Forestry Ibadan on the effects of different soils media and varying pot sizes on the early growth of Salanum acthiopicum was investigated. Three different soils media used were clay soil, river sand and top soil. Polythene pots used were small size (1kg capacity), median size (3kg capacity), then the pots were filled up of different types of soil named above, and quantified using weighing balance. There were 9 treatment (T1, T2, T3… and T9), replicated three times. The experiment is a 3x3 factorial experiment laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD). The parameters measured are plant height (cm), numbers of leaves and seedling diameter (cm). The data collected at the end of ten weeks were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Duncan test showed that plant sown in 3kg pot of top soil (T9) had the highest performance with mean value of plant height (10.20cm) number of leaf (7.10) and seedling diameter (0.27cm). followed by plant in 2kg of top soil (T8) with mean value of plant height (8.66cm) and the least was plant that was in 2kg pot of clay-soil with mean value of plant height (6.45cm), seedling diameter (0.169cm) and plant in 3kg of clay soil in term of number of leaf with mean value of (4.07). It is therefore recommended that 3kg top soil be used for optimal production of Salanum aethiopicum seedlings at nursery stage.