Evaluation of Different Growing Media for Nursery Management of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)
The selection of an appropriate growing medium is a key factor influencing seed germination, seedling growth, and transplant quality in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) nurseries. The present study was conducted during July to September 2020 at Chikka Madhure, Doddaballapur Taluk, Karnataka, India, to evaluate the effect of different growing media on nursery performance of chilli hybrid 'Devsena-88'. Nine treatments comprising different combinations of cocopeat, soil, vermicompost, sand, perlite, and field soil (control) were evaluated. Observations on days to germination, germination percentage, days to first true leaf appearance, seedling height, stem girth, number of leaves, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, and seedling survival were recorded and analysed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were observed among the treatments for all growth parameters. The growing medium consisting of cocopeat: vermicompost: perlite (3:1:1, v/v/v) (T₇) produced the earliest germination (5.8 days), highest germination percentage (98%), earliest true leaf emergence (12 days), maximum seedling height (14.5 cm at 28 DAG), greatest stem girth (0.48 cm), highest leaf number (15 leaves plant⁻¹), longest root length (11.5 cm), maximum shoot fresh weight (2.84 g) and root fresh weight (0.78 g), and the highest seedling survival (99%). In contrast, seedlings raised in field soil alone exhibited delayed germination, reduced growth, lower biomass accumulation, and poor survival. The superior performance of T₇ was attributed to improved aeration, moisture retention, nutrient availability, and enhanced root-zone conditions provided by the combined substrate components. The results indicate that cocopeat: vermicompost: perlite (3:1:1, v/v/v) is an effective growing medium for producing healthy, vigorous, and uniform chilli seedlings suitable for commercial nursery production.