Influence of different substrates in disease suppression and growth of coffee seedlings

摘要

Due to demand for quality seedlings, continuous dwindling of natural resource like forest soil has led to other problems like soil erosion, loss of soil texture etc. wherein coffee farmers are enforced to use other substrates. Hence, the present study was taken up for the period of two years (2017 & 2018) to know the influence of different substrates on growth of the seedling and their role in suppressing the major nursery pathogen Myrothecium roridum. The outcome of the study indicated that, among the nursery mixtures used for the experiment, vermicompost+sand (4:1) was the best medium followed by coir pith +vermicompost 1:1 ratio for growing coffee seedlings. Both nursery mixtures could supress the disease and recorded less disease incidence and severity and were on the par with recommended nursery mixture. Further, the growth of seedling and nutrient status of the leaves was optimum in these nursery mixtures when compared to others. During the experimental period the leaf spot disease incidence was minimum (4.79%) in the seedlings grown in vermicompost+sand in the ratio of 4:1, whereas the disease incidence was observed maximum (19.75%) in seedlings which grown in soilrite+FYM+sand (6:2:1 ratio). However, the leaf spot severity was maximum (10.33%) in the seedlings grown in soilrite+FYM+sand (6:2:1 ratio) and minimum (2.64%) in coir pith +vermicompost (1:1). The recommended nursery mixture was on par with vermicompost+sand (4:1) both in supressing the disease and development of the seedlings. Hence, the mixture of vermicompost+sand (4:1) can be used as an alternative nursery substrate to the recommended one for the growth of coffee seedlings.