Effect of green waste compost on growth and root morphology of ornamental shrubs
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Date
2022
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present investigations entitled “Effect of green waste compost on growth and root morphology of ornamental shrubs” were undertaken at Landscape Nursery, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, during March 2021 – February 2022. One year old three ornamental shrubs (Murraya paniculata, Hibiscus rosasinensis and Tabernaemontana coronaria) were transplanted in polybags of size 9×7 inches, filled with green waste compost (GWC) and soil in different proportions i.e. GWC 100%, GWC 75% + Soil 25%, GWC 50% + Soil 50%, GWC 25% + Soil 75% and FYM 50% + Soil 50% (Control) during second week of March 2021. Maximum plant height (57.33 cm), root collar diameter (10.00 mm), number of primary branches per plant (3.30), shoot dry weight (23.70 g), Dickson qualtity index (4.99), primary root diameter (12.55 mm) and plant nitrogen percentage (3.73%) were observed in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in T3 (GWC 50% + Soil 50%). Maximum root dry weight (13.95 g) and primary root length (11.61 cm) were observed in Murraya paniculata in T3 (GWC 50% + Soil 50%). Plants growing in media (GWC 100%) were somewhat stunted and chlorotic for several weeks after transplanting probably due to higher levels of EC (4.15 dS/m) and pH (7.62). The growing media composition was observed to be an ideal in T3 (GWC 50% + Soil 50%) i.e. pH (7.22), EC (1.64 dS/m), OC (2.39%), percent available nitrogen (0.55%), percent available phosphorus (0.22%), percent available K (0.47%), total porosity (38.50%) and water holding capacity (123.67%) for nursery raising of ornamental shrubs. On the basis of growth performance evaluated, the sequence for growth parameters is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis > Murraya paniculata > Tabernaemontana coronaria. GWC 50% + Soil 50% proved superior growing medium for growth of three ornamental shrubs than other media.
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Kamboj, Samil (2022). Effect of green waste compost on growth and root morphology of ornamental shrubs (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.