Evaluating the Potential of Coconut Biomass Waste as a Growing Medium

Abstract

Coconut biomass waste is a sustainable resource used for industrial, agricultural and household applications. Based on the concept of diversified use and value addition of coconut biomass waste, the coconut shell, wood, leaf and husk were collected, powdered and incorporated in growing media at different proportions and assessed for chilli germination and seedling growth behaviour by conducting a protray seedling raising experiment.  The treatments were T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, prepared by mixing soil, sand, coconut biomass waste and cow dung in the ratio 1:1:0:1, 1:0.5:0.5:1, 1:0:1:1, 1:0:2:1, 0:0:2:1 respectively. The growing medium of T5 (Treatment with higher proportion of coconut biomass waste) had high nutrient content, organic matter content, lignin content and salt concentration with very low pH, followed by T4, T3, T2 and T1. Whereas T1 (Control) exhibits early germination, high germination percentage and low mortality percentage, followed by T2. Moreover, control is the better performer in case of seedling growth behaviour. whereas T5 showing comparatively higher shoot growth. This result suggests that high lignin and salt content with low-pH environments had a negative influence on chilli seed germination and seedling growth. Hence addition of coconut biomass waste directly in growing medium without any pretreatment is nonsignificant while comparing to the control (without coconut biomass waste). However, the high nutrient content and physical properties of the media with higher proportion of coconut biomass waste enlighten the scope of using the same as substrate with proper pretreatments.