Emergence and initial development of Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) seedlings with different substrate compositions

Germination and Early Seedling Growth of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam with Different Seeds Soaking Time and Substrates at the Yongka Western Highlands Research Garden Park (YWHRGP) Nkwen-Bamenda, North-West Cameroon

“…The higher initial growth of seedlings was observed with the use of poultry manure in the mix with soil or sand in equal proportions. The higher availability of nutrients, increasing the growth of seedlings in relation to other substrates [12], may account for this behavior. This is consistent with the numerous ad-vantages provided by PM reported by [5] [14].…”

“…This is in agreement with observations by [6] that the excess of humidity on the substrate with manure may provoke germination losses and diminishing of the root growth and the aerial part of some tree species like Moringa. The slightly lower germination with substrates with high poultry manure levels could also be associated with illuviation of manure into the subsurface resulting in compression of the substrate and crust formation, and reduced aeration resulting in root asphyxiation [12] leading to a reduction of the germination and emergence process. Equally, an increase in the substrate temperature near to the seed associated with the fermentation of manure, may have affected the germination and emergence process.…”

“…The seeds had an average weight of 0.25 g. Equally some of these substrates are widely used in the production of seedlings of different annual plants, fruit and forestry species [12]. The soaked seeds were obtained by soaking 3 lots of 96 seeds for 12 days, 8 days, and 4 days, respectively.…”

“…Soaking improves seed performance and provides faster and synchronized germination [6]. When factors like substrate quantity, hydric availability, thermal properties and absence of physical obstacles for the emergence of some species are improved, the seeds have better conditions for germination and emergence, and the seedlings better conditions for initial development [12].…”