Establishment of Coffee Seedlings as Influenced by Planting Pit Size and Rock Phosphate along with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Inoculations

Abstract

A multi-location field experiment was initiated to boost the growth of supply planting of young coffee seedlings in the main field during the year 2015-16 at Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) and its substations. Observations were recorded on growth parameters, root characters and percent mortality of the seedlings and statistical data were analysed with WASP Web Based Agricultural Statistics Software Package. Results indicated that all the treatments significantly improved plant growth and showed the better establishment of coffee seedlings in the field. The treatment with increased square pit size of 45 x 45 x 45 cm3, addition of rock phosphate at 30g, supplementation of 25 gm each of Azospirillum, PSB and VAM fungi enriched with 2 kg of compost and 10 gm of phorate per pit showed significantly increased tap root length (127%), root volume (113.82%), fresh root biomass (106.89%), dry root biomass (69.42%), secondary roots (72.59%), primaries branches (51.0%) and length of primaries (39%). The treatment with pit size of 30 x 30 x 45 cm3 with addition of 30 g rock phosphate and 2 kg compost per pit also showed significant increase in tap root length (96.43%), root volume (92.53%), fresh root biomass (78.76%), dry root biomass (89.81%), secondary roots (55.07%), primaries branches (37.82%) and length of primaries (34.24%) compared to control. Hence, the initial results of the experiment indicated that planting of young coffee seedlings with increased square pit size along with P nutrition and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) application could be beneficial in achieving the better establishment of seedlings in the main field under changing climatic conditions.