ABSTRACT
This experiment was conducted in 2021 at the screen house of the Department of Crop Science, University of Benin, Edo state Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of different Potting media on the growth of seedlings of Annona muricata L (Soursop). Five potting media and three sowing depths were evaluated over a twelve weeks period. The experiment was analysed as a 5 x 4 x 6 factorial arrangement in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) replicated three times. Data on growth parameters were collected and analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Means were separated using Student-Newman-Keul Test at 5% probability level. It was observed that potting media of TS+CD performed significantly higher in, number of leaves, leaf length, germination in days after planting (DAP), plant height and collar girth followed by potting media TS+PM. This study concluded that the growing media or treatment Top soil + Cow dung was best for the growth of Annona muricata compared to the others.
Seed germination was observed daily and recorded for a period of (12 weeks) 90 days after planting (DAP), germination percentage (%) calculated for each of the sowing depths. Germination percentage was highest (80.00%) at 2 and 6cm depths and lowest at 4cm depth. Evaluation of early seedling growth was based on plant height, collar girth, leaf number, germination (DAP), leaf length, leaf breadth, two weeks after planting (WAP) and continued bi-weekly thereafter up to 12 weeks after planting. Seedlings emergence was earliest observed at 14 DAP from 2cm depth and latest at the 4cm depth. Highest mean seedling height and collar diameter were observed at 2cm and 6cm depth while the lowest mean seedling height was observed at 4cm depth at all growth stages 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 WAP. Highest mean leaf number was observed in 2cm depths at TS+CDand 12 WAP and in 6cm depth at 10-12 WAP while lowest mean leaf number was observed in 4cm depth at 8-12 WAP. Mean seedling height did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) among 2 cm and 6 cm depths at all stages of growth. Collar diameter did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) among 2 cm and 6 cm depths at 10 and 12 WAP. Results revealed that seedling growth generally decreased with increase in sowing depth.
