Effect of different growing media on seed germination and subsequent seedling growth of papaya (Carica papaya Linn) cv. Pusa Nanha under Prayagraj agro climatic conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P)-211007, India during year 2018-19 to investigate the “Effect of various growing media on seed germination and subsequent seedling growth of papaya (Carica papaya Linn) cv. Pusa Nanha under Prayagraj agro climatic conditions”. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). There were thirteen treatments including control replicated three times in which growing media such as pond soil, vermicompost, vermiculite and perlite mixed in various percentages which gave better results with Seedling vigour, Seedling length (cm), Stem girth (mm), Number of leaves, Root length (cm), Fresh weight of seedling, Shoot-root ratio and Survival percentage (%) compared to control and other treatments. Hence, it can be recommended that T12-10% Pond soil + 30% Vermicompost + 30% Vermiculite + 30%. Perlite as the most effective growing media among the all treatments.