Effect of different growing media on selected growth performance parameters of Raphanus pugioniformis and Raphanus raphanistrum

Abstract

Raphanus raphanistrum and R. pugioniformis (Brassicaceae) are wild radishes, native to the Eastern Mediterranean region. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of growing soil media (perlite, sand, and terra rossa) on the growth performance of two Raphanus species. For this, seeds of the selected species were germinated and seedlings were transferred to plastic cylinders, filled with growing soil media. At harvest, various growth parameters including shoot length, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight were determined. Root and shoot fresh and dry weight, before and after oven dry for 24 h at 70 °C was measured. Results of the study revealed statistically significant differences (P value ≤ 0.05) among the various studied growth parameters for the selected Raphanus species and are affected by different growing media including types of soil and growing time (days after potting from 33 to 78). After 33 days of potting, the average shoot length for R. pugioniformis was found 6.6, 8.0, and 8.6 cm in terra rossa, sand, and perlite growing media respectively. On the other hand, the fresh (0.8, 1.6, and 2.5g) and dry (0.25, 0.48, and 0.72g) shoot weight for R. pugioniformis was reported in terra rossa, sand, and perlite soil media respectively. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that among the tested growing media, perlite growing medium is the best medium for the growth of both studied Raphanus species. This study demonstrated that the three studied growing media affected all the growth performance parameters of both Raphanus pugioniformis and Raphanus raphanistrum differently.