Articles
IMPROVED STAND ESTABLISHMENT IN PEPPER WITH GEL MIX SEEDING
Article number
198_17
Pages
141 – 148
Language
Abstract
Several planting media were tested to improve stand establishment of bell pepper.
Treatments consisted of two hydrophilic gels (Liqua-gel and Laponite 445) in which their concentration and water volumes were varied and mixed with plug-mix (peat and vermiculite) and pregerminated seeds.
Pregerminated seed treatments had earlier, more uniform stands, and greater early plant growth compared with the nongerminated seed treatment; however, final stands were similar regardless of treatment.
Mixes using Liqua-gel rather than Laponite resulted in earlier, more even plant stands in high soil moisture conditions.
High gel concentrations combined with high water levels usually inhibited stand establishment.
The optimum planting mix (gel mix) for stand establishment was 1.0 L plug-mix per 1.25 L water which contained 0.75 to 1.25% (g/L) Liqua-gel plus pregerminated seeds.
After determining a superior gel mix for stand establishment, sowings were made in August, September, and October to compare the gel mix seeding method to sowings made with fluid drilling techniques, plug-mix seeding, and dry, nontreated seeds sown in soil.
The Liqua-gel gel mix treatment was at least as good and in most cases better than all direct seeding treatments when early seedling growth, earliness, uniformity, and total stands were evaluated for all planting dates.
Treatments consisted of two hydrophilic gels (Liqua-gel and Laponite 445) in which their concentration and water volumes were varied and mixed with plug-mix (peat and vermiculite) and pregerminated seeds.
Pregerminated seed treatments had earlier, more uniform stands, and greater early plant growth compared with the nongerminated seed treatment; however, final stands were similar regardless of treatment.
Mixes using Liqua-gel rather than Laponite resulted in earlier, more even plant stands in high soil moisture conditions.
High gel concentrations combined with high water levels usually inhibited stand establishment.
The optimum planting mix (gel mix) for stand establishment was 1.0 L plug-mix per 1.25 L water which contained 0.75 to 1.25% (g/L) Liqua-gel plus pregerminated seeds.
After determining a superior gel mix for stand establishment, sowings were made in August, September, and October to compare the gel mix seeding method to sowings made with fluid drilling techniques, plug-mix seeding, and dry, nontreated seeds sown in soil.
The Liqua-gel gel mix treatment was at least as good and in most cases better than all direct seeding treatments when early seedling growth, earliness, uniformity, and total stands were evaluated for all planting dates.
Authors
J.R. Schultheis, D.J. Cantliffe
Keywords
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