SUCCESSFUL INCORPORATION OF CRUSHED PINE (PINUS CARIBAEA) LEAVES INTO COCONUT COIR DUST NURSERY MEDIUM FOR VEGETABLE SEEDLING PRODUCTION

Different soilless media are used in vegetable nurseries for high quality seedling production. In the current research, potential of incorporating crushed pine leaves (CPL) into coconut coir dust (CCD) as an economical and sustainable media alternative for vegetable nursery trays, was investigated. CPL was used as mixtures with CCD at the ratios of 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3 and 0:4 (Treatment 1-5). Suitability of each treatment as soilless medium was investigated by evaluating their physical and chemical properties as well as biodegradability. Growth performances of the seedlings grown in the treatments were evaluated using brinjal, capsicum, ‘elabatu’ (Solanuminsanum), knolkhol and tomato. The highest water holding capacity, pH and bio-degradability (6.21ml/g; 7.38; 12.6%) were observed in CCD and lowest values were in CPL (1.30ml/g; 5.18; 8.6%). The highest air porosity and bulk density were in CPL (36.7%, 0.32g/cm3) and the lowest were in CCD (2%, 0.23g/cm3). Mixing of these two materials brought those parameters to moderate values which were appropriate for vigorous plant growth. Capsicum, knolkhol and tomato showed higher seedling vigour index, growth rate and root lengths in T2 and T3 mixtures. Brinjal showed the highest values of growth rate and root length in T3 and T4, and seedling vigour index in T3. ‘Elabatu’ showed highest values of growth rate and root length in T4 and T5, and seedling vigour index only in T4. The result concludes that, CPL can be used in nursery medium without any harm to the plants but incorporation of CPL with CCD improves the properties of growth media and assures better seedling growth.