Effect of Soil Nursery Mixtures on the Growth of Pepper Seedlings in Owerri, South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the best nursery medium for raising seedlings of pepper in a tropical rainforest location of Owerri, south eastern Nigeria. The experiment was carried out in the teaching and research farm of the department of Agricultural Science, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. The design used was completely randomized design (CRD) with five replications. A total of six different soil mixtures (treatment) were used in the study. Treatments comprised soil nursery mixtures in the ratio of 0:3:3, 1:2:3, 1:3:2, 2:3:1, 3:2:1 and 2:1:1 for poultry manure: top soil: river sand. Data was collected on percentage seedling emergence, plant height, leaf area per plant, dry matter weight per plant at 42DAP.Analysis of variance test was conducted on all data collected. Significant treatment means were separated by means of F-LSD. Results showed that treatment 3:2:1 significantly (p-0.05) produced highest values in all the parameters studied and is therefore recommended for raising pepper in this tropical rain forest location of Owerri, south eastern Nigeria.