The Effect of Float Seedling Growth Media Combination and Particle Size Distribution on Germination and Biometric Characteristics of Tobacco Seedlings (Nicotina tabacum)


	International Journal of Agricultural Research
	Year: 2007 \| Volume: 2 \| Issue: 5 \| Page No.: 459-467 DOI: 10.3923/ijar.2007.459.467

The Effect of Float Seedling Growth Media Combination and Particle Size Distribution on Germination and Biometric Characteristics of Tobacco Seedlings (Nicotina tabacum)

J. Masaka , R. Musundire and L. Gondongwe

Abstract: An experiment was conducted for 20 weeks under float bed system in which nine tobacco seedling growing media mixed in different combinations based on particle size distribution of pine bark and coal rubble were studied. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of these different media combinations on the physical properties of the media blends; seed germination and biomass characteristics of tobacco seedlings in float tray system. The study was conducted at Kutsaga Research Station (17°52’ S; 31°02’ E, elev. >1500 m) near Harare in Zimbabwe. The experiment was designed as a Randomized Complete Block with three replicates. Study results show that media particle size distribution, combinations of pine bark and coal rubble media components had a comparatively significant effect on the total porosity of media blends while their influence on bulk density was largely insignificant. All media combinations in which the small to medium size pine bark particles (T₅ and T₈) contributed the bulk of media mass (90%) had the highest total porosities (70.2 and 70.1%) while the no-pine bark component treatment had the lowest (49.9%) total porosity (T₆). The media combination that generated a total porosity of nearly 50% (T₆) supported amplified initial germination counts. While a large body of research results elsewhere have indicated that the presence of sand or coal rubble components in media combinations tend to amplify spiral rooting counts of tobacco seedlings in float trays due to increased compaction associated with their high densities, our results have shown that it was the hydrology of the media combination that had a large influence on spiral rooting. The lowest initial tobacco germinations or increased seedling mortality places a reduced burden on the media nutrient resources thereby increasing the nutrient compensatory effect on growth of stems observed in T₃ float trays.

PDF Fulltext XML References Citation Report Citation

RELATED ARTICLES:

•	Effects of Cultivation of Gerbera on some Physical and Chemical Properties of Different Growing Substrates

How to cite this article:

J. Masaka , R. Musundire and L. Gondongwe , 2007. The Effect of Float Seedling Growth Media Combination and Particle Size Distribution on Germination and Biometric Characteristics of Tobacco Seedlings (Nicotina tabacum) . International Journal of Agricultural Research, 2: 459-467.

DOI: 10.3923/ijar.2007.459.467

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijar.2007.459.467

COMMENT ON THIS PAPER

Navigation


		Online First
		Current Issue
		Previous Issues
		Editorial Board
		Submit a Manuscript
		Guide to Authors
		Subscribe to E-alerts

Indexed In


		ASCI-Database
		Asian Digital Library
		Cambridge Scientific Abstract
		Chemical Abstract Services
		FSTA
		Google Scholar

Follow @scialert

Science Alert