Standardization of Growing Media for Grapes Nursery Production

Nursery production of grapes in soil-based media causes higher mortality due to soil-borne diseases including root rot, damping off, phytophthora and die back etc. The study was planned to explore the potential of various growing media for the nursery production of grapes cv. Sultana-C through cuttings. Six different growing media including peat moss, silt, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, coconut fiber and farm yard manure alone and in different combinations (16) were tested. Treatments were arranged under Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated five times. Results indicated that grapes cutting planted in (GM13) media combination of sugarcane bagasse, silt and saw dust (1:1:1) exhibited highest sprouting percentage (100%) and significant results for shoots and roots length (41.4 and 40.4 cm respectively), inter-nodal distance (3.4 cm), leaf area (78.93 cm), no. of leaves (12.3), shoots diameter (10.43 cm) and fresh weight of shoots and roots (17.35 and 19.84 g) as compared to other growing media. Maximum mortality percentage was observed in media (GM6) containing Silt + FYM (1:1) and (GM18) sawdust + FYM + coconut fiber (1:1:1). Conclusively, the combination of sugarcane bagasse, silt and saw dust (1:1:1) has been proved highly significant for survival and growth of grapes nursery.