Effect of potting media and watering frequencies on the growth of pepper fruit (<i>Dennetia tripetala</i>) seedlings

Abstract

A nursery trial was conducted in the screen house of the Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria in 2011 to investigate the effect of different potting media and watering frequencies on the growth of Dennetia tripetala seedlings. Three
different growing media: Rice husks (Rh), pig dung (Pd) and cocoa husk (Ch) were used as sources of growth. They were combined in a 1:1 ratio to make seven media combinations with four watering frequencies at once daily (D1), twice daily (D2), once every other day (D3) and twice every
other day (D4). The trial was laid out in a 7 x 4 factorial design fitted into a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Data were collected on plant height, leaf number, and canopy diameter, stem girth, dry weight of root and shoot. Results obtained revealed that potting medium with sole pig dung significantly produced the best seedling attributes in terms of plant height (11.46cm), stem girth (1.01cm), canopy diameter (9.58cm) while, leaf number (11.16), dry weight of shoots (0.51g) and roots (0.19g) were best with sole rice husk and rice husk plus pig dung (1:1) respectively. Watering twice every other day had a significant (p<0.05) influence on plant height, canopy diameter, stem girth and root dry matter. There were significant interaction effects between sole pig dung and watering once, twice daily and twice every other. However, in order to save labour, money and time spent in watering, watering twice every other day plus pig dung sole may be adequate for raising D. tripelata seedlings.

Keywords: Dennetia tripelata, potting media, watering frequency, seedling growth