Influence of a plant growth booster on the growth and quality parameters of Juniperus polycarpos seedlings under nursery conditions

ABSTRACT

An experimental trial was conducted to study the influence of a plant growth booster (PGB) on the seedling growth and quality parameters of Juniperus polycarpos in nursery conditions. One-year-old seedlings were applied with seven different doses of a PGB composed of humic acid (12%), fulvic acid (4.3%), seaweed extract (6.9%), and amino-based granules (6.8%) to study their effect on seedling growth and quality parameters. After 5 years in the nursery, maximum values of seedling growth parameters viz. shoot length (43.10 cm), root length (42.00 cm), collar diameter (5.93 mm), number of roots (41.00), fresh shoot biomass (18.83 g), fresh root biomass (5.87 g), total fresh biomass (24.71 g), dry shoot biomass (10.11 g), dry root biomass (3.06 g), and total dry biomass (13.17 g) were recorded in seedlings that were given 2.5 g PGB/seedling, as compared to the seedlings where no PGB was applied. The maximum value of quality parameters viz. volume index (1515.60) and quality index (1.25) was also observed in seedlings that received 2.5 g PGB/seedling. The study suggests the application of 2.5 g PGB per seedling for the production of quality planting stock of J. polycarpos in the nursery.

KEYWORDS:

• Quality planting stock
• quality index
• volume index
• sturdiness quotient
• root shoot ratio

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful to the Director, ICFRE-Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, for providing the necessary facilities and to the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India, for giving financial support [Project ID: HFRI-065/Th.-01/S(A)-03(STI-21)/PLAN/2016-2021].