EFFECT OF GROWING MEDIA ON ITS PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ON BEET ROOT YIELD UNDER PROTECTED CULTIVATION

摘要

A field experiment was conducted during 2008 to 2009 in naturally poly house. Selected chemical and physical characteristics of four types of growing medias comprising of coirpith, perlite, vermiculite and peat as separately and combination with vermicompost as 50% on volume basis ((v/v) were determined and their suitability as growing media was tested using beetroot (nobol). Data on pH, EC, nutrient contents and various aspects of air-water relationships of the media, as well as yield of beet root were collected. The root yield per treatment was not significantly influenced by the treatments T_1, T_2, T_3 and T_4 but while root yield of beet root was found to be significantly influenced by treatments T_5, T_6, T_7 and T_8. Results indicated that certain chemical and physical properties of selected soilless media can be improved through incorporation of vermicompost and its positive effect was clearly reflected in the yield of beet root.