Jul 2026· International Journal of Plant & Soil Science· Vol 38, pp. 131-143· 0 citations
Abstract
The study was conducted in the Horticulture Experiment Field, Department of Horticulture, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, during the year 2026. The primary objective was to evaluate the influence of diverse growing media and plant growth regulators (PGRs), particularly Gibberellic Acid (GA₃) and Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA), on the germination behaviour and seedling development of papaya under nursery conditions. The experiment included nine treatments with different combinations of PGRs and media: soil alone (control), soil mixed with vermicompost, Perlite and cocopeat in various proportions, and treated with GA₃ or NAA at 50 ppm. The treatments were assessed for their impact on seed germination, imbibition period, speed of emergence, seedling vigour, survival percentage, and morphological growth attributes such as seedling height, number of leaves, leaf area, root number and length, stem girth, fresh biomass and shoot-to-root ratio. Several germination parameters were recorded, including imbibition period, speed of emergence, germination percentage, seedling vigour index, and survival percentage. Seedling growth parameters such as seedling height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth, number and length of roots, fresh weight of shoot and root, and shoot-to-root ratio were evaluated at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS). The results revealed significant differences among the treatments. Treatment T4 (NAA @ 50 ppm with soil + vermicompost + Perlite in equal proportions) exhibited the shortest imbibition period (9.00 days), the highest speed of emergence (92.63), and the highest germination percentage (73.33%). It also produced the most vigorous seedlings with a seedling vigour index of 795.67 and the highest survival percentage of 95.83%. NAA treatments, particularly T4, consistently outperformed other treatments in terms of early emergence and uniform germination, due to enhanced enzymatic activity and rapid mobilization of seed reserves. On the other hand, Treatment T8 (GA3 @ 50 ppm with the same media composition of soil, vermicompost and Perlite) was particularly effective in promoting vegetative growth and root development. It recorded the maximum seedling height (15.01 cm), number of leaves (9.40), leaf area (34.37 cm²), root length (12.50 cm), number of roots (21.87), fresh shoot weight (4.20 g), fresh root weight (0.92 g), and shoot:root ratio (4.55). This indicates that GA₃ plays a key role in cell division and elongation, particularly enhancing root biomass and overall seedling establishment. The control treatment (T9), which involved only soil and no growth regulator, consistently showed the lowest performance across all parameters, including germination percentage (51.67%), seedling vigour (331.55), and survival percentage (77.58%), confirming the inadequacy of unamended soil and absence of growth-promoting substances for nursery-level papaya production. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that the integrated use of PGRs and a balanced growing medium significantly enhances papaya seed germination and seedling quality. For nursery managers and papaya growers, the combination of NAA @ 50 ppm with the soil + vermicompost + Perlite media mix (T4) is recommended for achieving superior germination and uniformity, while GA3 @ 50 ppm with the same media (T8) is ideal for enhancing root development and seedling vigour. These findings can serve as a practical guideline for improving the efficiency and success rate of papaya seedling production under nursery conditions.
The experiment was conducted at the research field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute (NAI), Faculty of Agriculture (FoA), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (India), during the kharif season in 2025. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRD), consisting of a total of 16 different treatment combinations, including the control, with each treatment replicated thrice. Treatment T15: Soil + FYM + Vermicompost + Cocopeat (1:1:1:1) + GA3 (200 ppm seed treatment) recorded germination (96.67%), days taken for completion of germination (13.40 days), seedling height (28.51 cm), number of leaves per seedling (17.46), diameter of seedling (13.93 mm), leaf area (105.77 cm2), chlorophyll content (SPAD value: 64.16), length of the longest tap root (7.55 cm), fresh weight of shoots (18.55 g), dry weight of shoots (2.51 g), fresh weight of root (5.54 g), dry weight of root (1.31 g), shoot:root ratio (0.52), Seed Vigour Index (I) (2756.53), Seed Vigour Index (II) (369.06), survival (94.4%), and mortality (5.5%), and was significantly superior overall to the other treatments. This study provides a practical approach to papaya seed germination and the production of healthy seedlings using suitable rooting media compositions with appropriate proportions of organic amendments, such as farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, and cocopeat, to improve nutrient availability, aeration, and moisture retention, together with GA3 (200 ppm seed treatment). The findings may also provide a foundation for future research on rooting media, germination, and growth regulators for papaya and other horticultural crops under diverse agro-climatic conditions.
D. T. Rochu, Deepak Lall, Shilpa Rana et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
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.
B. Baráth, R. Niranjana, B. Aravindavartha· Asian Journal of Biotechnolo...· 0 citations
An experiment was conducted during 2025–2026 at the Central Orchard (Horticulture Research Farm), Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate foliar applications of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari. Eight-year-old, uniform trees of pomegranate cv. Kandhari were used for the study. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with eleven treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised foliar applications of plant growth regulators (GA₃ and NAA), micronutrients (ZnSO₄ and borax), and seaweed extract, applied individually and in different combinations. The first foliar spray was applied in September 2025. The results revealed that treatment T₁₀ (GA₃ at 100 ppm + NAA at 40 ppm + seaweed extract at 5 ml L⁻¹ + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) produced the maximum vegetative growth and was the most effective treatment. However, T₆ (NAA at 40 ppm + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) was found to be the most economically viable treatment. The study indicates that integrated foliar application of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract can significantly improve vegetative growth, total number of flowers, number of fruits per plant, and fruit weight (g) in pomegranate under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions.
Rajani Srivastava, Deepak Lall, Vijay Bahadur et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Plant growth regulators (PGRs) offer a potential means of improving chilli productivity by regulating vegetative growth, flowering, fruit development, and biochemical quality. This study evaluated the responses of Kulai chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) to foliar applications of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 20 and 40 mg L⁻¹), gibberellic acid (GA₃; 10 and 20 mg L⁻¹), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA; 25 and 50 mg L⁻¹) under rain-shelter conditions in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomised design comprising seven treatments, including a water-sprayed control, with five replications. Treatments were applied at 30 and 45 days after transplanting. Plant growth, flowering, fruit maturity, yield, fruit characteristics, capsaicin content, and vitamin C content were evaluated. GA₃ at 20 mg L⁻¹ produced the tallest plants throughout the cultivation period, reaching 79.4 cm at 90 days after transplanting. IAA at 50 mg L⁻¹ induced the earliest flowering and fruit maturity, reducing the time to the final maturity index from 50.4 days in the control to 41.8 days after anthesis. However, NAA at 40 mg L⁻¹ produced the most favourable overall response, increasing cumulative yield per plant by 61.9% relative to the control and producing the greatest fruit weight and length. This treatment also resulted in the highest capsaicin and vitamin C contents. Seed number per fruit was not significantly affected by the treatments. These findings demonstrate that PGR responses are trait-specific: GA₃ primarily enhanced vegetative growth, IAA accelerated crop development, and NAA at 40 mg L⁻¹ provided the best balance between earliness, yield, and fruit quality. Further multi-season and multi-location validation is required before commercial application.
J. J. Silip, L. Wesley, Mohd. Rakib Mohd. Rashid et al.· Journal of Smart Farming and...· 0 citations
This study evaluates the effect of different soilless growing media on physiological properties of media and growth parameters of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Polyhouse conditions during 2024 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, U.P. The experiment was carried out in completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 replications comprising 10 treatment combinations. The media tested include cocopeat, biochar, rice husk, and their various combinations. Physiological parameters assessed were water holding capacity (WHC), pH, and bulk density, while plant growth was evaluated based on vine length, number of leaves, days to first female flower appearance, and root and shoot fresh weight. The results showed that media combination significantly influenced all physiological and growth parameters. Among different media combination T8 with 12.5% cocopeat+12.5% Biochar+75% rice husk recorded the highest vine length (273.91 cm), leaf number (54.00), and root-shoot biomass(109.50g) as well as the earliest female flower appearance (25.17 DAS). Cocopeat alone (T1) exhibited the highest water holding capacity (64.49%) but had limitations in aeration indicated by low bulk density values (0.090 Mg/m3). (T2) Biochar (100%) treatments recorded higher pH values (8.77). The study concludes that balanced media formulations enhance root environment and plant physiological responses conducive to vigorous growth in protected cucumber cultivation.
Akshat Gupta, S. Lodhi, M. Singh et al.· Annales Horticulturae· 0 citations
Background: Seed germination and seedling vigour in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) are influenced by growing media composition and seed pre-sowing treatments. Optimizing these factors is essential for producing vigorous and uniform rootstock seedlings for successful orchard establishment. Methods: A nursery experiment was conducted during 2025-2026 at the School of Agriculture, Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies, Chennai. The experiment was laid out in a factorial completely randomized design with five growing media and four seed pre-sowing treatments, replicated thrice. Growing media comprised combinations of red soil, sand, cocopeat and vermicompost, while seed treatments included control, water soaking for 12 and 24 h and cow dung slurry for 12 h. Observations on germination, seedling growth, vigour indices and survival percentage were recorded. Data were analysed using ANOVA and treatment means were compared using LSD at P≤0.05. Result: Growing media, seed pre-sowing treatments and their interaction significantly influenced all parameters. The combination of sand + red soil + cocopeat + vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with water soaking for 24 h (M5T3) recorded the earliest germination (9.06 days), minimum days to 50% germination (13.54 days), highest germination (96.84%), shoot length (22.36 cm), root length (14.36 cm), number of leaves (11.60), vigour index I (2166), vigour index II (89) and survival percentage (96%), demonstrating its suitability for raising vigorous cashew rootstock seedlings under nursery conditions.
Kumaresan Marappan, P. Shanmugasundaram, R. Sridhar et al.· Indian Journal of Agricultur...· 0 citations
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