Abstract:
nursery medium material for raising chilli seedling. The experiment was carried out
from March to June 2024 atthe Faculty of Technology, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
The study was designed in CRD with five treatments and ten replicates. The treatments
are Tr (Control) - normal nursery medium sandy soil: top soil: compost 6:2:4, Tz
sandy soil: top soil: compost: cardboard powder 6:2:3:1, Tr is sandy soil: top soil:
compost: cardboard powder 6:2:2:2, T+ is sandy soil: top soil: compost: cardboard
powder 6:2:l:3, T5 is sandy soil: top soil: cardboard powder 6:2:4. pH, water holding
capacity & porosity of decomposed nursery medium were measured before sowing
seeds. Seedlings height, number of leaves per seedlings were measured at 2 and 3
weeks old. Fresh and dry weights of the seedlings were measured at near to
transplanting. Analysis of variance was performed to determine significant differences
among treatments. Results suggest that combining cardboard powder with compost
improves soil physical properties without changing nursery medium pH. Growth
parameter analysis indicated that growth of seedling is influenced by nursery medium
composition. Highest seedling height, fresh weight and dry weight were observed in
chilli seedling grow in medium having sandy soil: topsoil: compost: cardboard powder
6: 2 : 2 : 2. Cardboard powder would be used as a material for nursery medium
preparation for chilli seedlings. This combination would be help to increase seedlings
growth rate. According to the resuits of the study, same amount of cardboard powder
and compost combination medium would be a suitable application rate for nursery
medium
