Standaratization of soilless media on establishment and growth of warm and cool season grasses in Pro-tray
Balaraman. E1* and Padmanaban. J1*
Department of Horticulture Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608002 India Email ID: balaraman202@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Urbanization is a significant process in which the flora and fauna of cities around the world are startlingly similar, despite geographic and temperature differences. In this context, temperature preference, establishment type, cultural practices, care, and the ability to resist summer and heavy rainy days all have an impact on plant species selection. Turf grasses are a significant plant species in every landscape garden, and customers have recently begun to practice do-it-yourself (DIY) lawn establishment. For this purpose, two turf species, panama bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne L.) are commercially used in landscaping industries around the world. The literature available in soilless media with various crop plants has prepared the path for a unique investigation in panama bermuda grass and perennial rye grass. There is an opportunity to address the difficulties raised by commercial nursery producers who practice regular or conventional establishment. As a result, the current experiment was designed to assess the effectiveness of various soilless media and the role of pro-tray in lawn establishment. The study was designed on a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD). The experiment comprised of twelve different soilless media mixes. For both panama bermuda grass and perennial rye grass, the media combination (T10) consisting of Coir pith (70%) + Enriched Organic Manure (15%) + Paddy Husk (15%) yielded the best results in terms of days taken for germination (3.06 days & 3.27 days respectively), days taken for fifty per cent germination (7.97 days & 8.03 days respectively) and germination percentage (64.89 % & 65.94 % respectively) and the same combination was recorded the best results viz., plant height, root length (8.88 cm & 8.12 cm respectively), shoot length (16.14 cm & 15.54 cm respectively) at 45 days after sowing. Similarly, the media combination (T10), was observed the best results in leaf characters viz., number of leaf blades per plant (5.48 & 4.78 respectively), leaf blade length (11.94 cm & 11.04 cm respectively), leaf blade width (0.61 cm & 0.55 cm respectively), leaf area (3.97 cm2 & 3.87 cm2 respectively), total chlorophyll content (3.38 mg g-1& 22.78 mg g-1 respectively), dry weight of shoot (14.64 g & 12.64 g respectively), dry weight of root (9.84 g & 8.44 g respectively) and turf density (2234.82 plants / sq.ft & 2118.82 plants / sq.ft respectively) whereas lowest values were recorded in all the above characters with T1 (Red Earth + FYM + Sand) in pro-tray.