Effect of different growing media for elite seedlings production in Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.)

Abstract

Study on identifying the suitability of different growing media for seedling establishment and elite seedling production in Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cv. Chandragiri was conducted with an objective to evaluate the suitability of different growing media for raising the seedlings and to find out most suitable media for better rooting and growth of coffee seedlings. Coffee seedlings were grown in different media for a period of 6 months in nursery. It was revealed from the study that, the growth and vigour of coffee seedling was greatly influenced by different growing media used. Coffee seedlings grown in growing media containing Soil + Sand + Vermicompost (6:2:1) recorded maximum germination (64%), seedling vigour (2125), seedling height (51.7 cm), number of leaves (8.3), leaf area index (71.17 cm2), diameter of stem (2.18 cm), seedling fresh weight (16.79 g) and higher seedling dry weight (3.09 g) when compared with control and other treatments.