Evaluation of clay soil mixtures as cost-effective grow bag media for curry chili (Capsicum annuum) cultivation under protected house conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the clay soil mixtures as cost-effective grow bag media for curry chili (Capsicum annuum) cultivation under protected house conditions. Clay soil is commonly available and inexpensive. Therefore, mixture of clay soil with other commonly available inexpensive soil amendments were used as an alternative for coir dust (100%) medium. Curry chili seedlings of 21 days of age were used. Nine treatments were made mixing soil amendments to clay soil such as T1 (coir dust 100%), T2 (clay soil 50%+coir dust 50%), T3 (clay soil 50%+cow dung 50%), T4 ( clay soil 50%+partially burned paddy husk 50%), T5 (clay soil 50%+sand 50%), T6 (clay soil 50%+cow dung 25%+ sand 25%), T7 ( clay soil 50%+ coir dust 25% +sand 25%), T8 (clay soil 50%+partially burned paddy husk 25%+sand 25%) and T9 (clay soil 100%) were tested using completely randomized design (CRD) with five replicates. Plant height and number of leaves/plants were measured at 50% flowering stage. Number of pods/plant and weight of pods/plant were recorded at harvesting. ANOVA procedure was adapted to the analysis of data and means were compared by using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 5% probability level. A cost analysis was performed to compare the cost of making a grow bag with the medium. The results revealed that, the significantly higher values for plant height (71.9cm and 70.7cm), number of leaves/plant at 50% flowering stage (87 and 85), number of pods/plant (30 and 29), weight of pods/plant (982.5g and 1057.0g) were obtained by T3 and T6 respectively compared to other treatments. It was concluded that T3 (clay soil 50%+cow dung 50%) and T6 (clay soil 50%+cow dung 25%+sand 25%) were the best-growing media to enhance the growth and yield performances of curry chili under protected house conditions. Considering the cost per bag with medium, the highest cost (Rs.200.00) was T1 (coir dust 100%), the cost for T3 and T6 (Rs.55.00 and Rs.61.25) respectively. Therefore, T3 and T6 can be recommended as cost-effective grow bag media for curry chili cultivation under protected house conditions. In future studies, proposed to use inexpensive granular fertilizer rather than Albert’s fertilizer to reduce the fertilizer cost.