SUBSTRATE MIXING FORMULATIONS FOR CITRUS NURSERY MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The length of citrus seedling development is determined by several factors, including the physical and chemical qualities of the substrate, which affect rootstock growth and, as a result, the quality of field seedlings. The purpose of this study was to see how the ‘Swingle’ citrumelo rootstock developed with different substrate formulations. The experiment was carried out in a seedling nursery from seeding to grafting, and six treatments were carried out, as follows: 60% peat moss, 30% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 10% rice hulls (1); 60% peat moss, 30% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 10% rice hulls (2); 50% peat moss, 30% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 20% rice hulls (3); 50% peat moss, 30% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 20% rice hulls (4); 50% peat moss, 20% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 30% rice hulls (5); 50% peat moss, 20% fine grade horticultural vermiculite, 30% rice hulls (6). In addition, the experiment was divided into two stages: seeding (stage 1) and seedling nursery (stage 2). In a completely randomized design, the experiment has six treatments, four replications, and 51 plants per plot. When container transplanting was performed, the emergence percentage of seedlings was determined; thus, eight plants per plot were examined. For the second stage, was used a completely randomized design with 6 substrate formulations, 4 replications, and 20 seedlings per plot. Stem height, stem diameter, leaf number, area meter, root dry matter, leaf and stem dry matter, and quality index were measured on seedlings every 28 days. All substrate formulations improved seedling development until grafting, except for the 30% rice hulls, which hampered seedling development in ‘Swingle' citrumelo.