STANDARDIZATION OF GROWING MEDIA FOR PRODUCTION OF COLOURED CAPSICUM UNDER POLYHOUSE
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Date
2018-03
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Capsicum, also popularly called as ‘Simla Mirch’ in India is one of the leading vegetables grown in
open conditions as well as protected conditions, because of its economic importance as a high value vegetable
crop both in domestic and overseas markets. Capsicum can be grown on a wide variety of soils, but its shallow
and fibrous root system is sensitive to water logging and prone to attack by various soil borne diseases.
However, the research work world over shows that sweet pepper can be grown successfully in soilless growing
media but the initial investment is proving to be bottleneck in its adoption. Hence, there is an urgent need to
identify cost effective soilless growing media to grow capsicum under protected conditions. Keeping this in
view, the present investigation entitled “Standardisation of growing media for production of coloured capsicum
under polyhouse” was conducted during 2016 and 17 at the Experimental Research Farm of Precision Farming
Development Center, Department of Soil Science and Water Management of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar
University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan. Seeds of variety Orobelle (coloured capsicum) were
planted February in plug trays then transplanted in UV stabilized polybags during March, in both the years
(2016-17) under polyhouse conditions. A total of 9 treatments were replicated thrice for each growing media
which were as follows : T1 Cocopeat , T2 Cocopeat + Vermicompost (70:30) + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray), T3
Cocopeat + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray), T4 Vermiculite, T5 Vermiculite + Vermicompost (70:30) + Jeevamrut
(5% foliar spray), T6 Vermiculite + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray), T7 Sand, T8 Sand + Vermicompost (70:30) +
Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray), T9 Sand + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray) under CRD (Completely Randomised
Block Design) layout design. The experimental results showed that among different combinations of growing
media, maximum (119.50 cm) plant height, minimum (40.50 days) days to 50% flowering, minimum (69.17)
days to marketable maturity, maximum (25.67) number of fruits per plant, maximum (207.43 g), average fruit
weight, maximum (5.32 kg) fruit yield per plant, maximum (99.67 days) harvest duration were recorded in T8
(Sand + Vermicompost (70:30) + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray)). Maximum macro and micro nutrients were also
recorded under the same treatment. Highest (2.59:1) benefit cost ratio was recorded in treatment T8 (Sand +
Vermicompost (70:30) + Jeevamrut (5% foliar spray)) which can be judged as the most profitable and cost
effective, growing media for coloured capsicum under polyhouse condition.
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