INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES AND CONTAINER CELL CAPACITY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEPPER SEEDLINGS (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)

The objective of this study was to assess the growth and development of seedlings of a hybrid pepper as affected by ten growing media formulas developed from commercially available peat, inorganic media and from on-farm organic media (1st experiment: peat 100% + vermiculite 0%; peat 75% + vermiculite 25%; peat 50% + vermiculite 50%; peat 25% + vermiculite 75% and peat 25% + vermiculite 25% + organic media 50% and 2nd experiment by using perlit instead of vermiculite). The quality of seedlings is impacted by different substrates used during the seedling production. The major effect on growth parameters of pepper seedlings was obtained on substrate with on-farm organic media. This research presents data on height of stalk, height of root, leaf number per plant, and leaf surface. Containers are being used largely in the production of seedlings. There are different types of containers. During this research styrofoam containers were used with volume: 30cm3, 50 cm3, 60cm3 and 80cm3.