Effect of media composition on growth and development of acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) seedling with or without Azotobacter

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at the Fruits Research Farm, College of Horticulture & Forestry  Jhalarapatan, Jhalawar during the year 2010. In this experiment, freshly extracted acid lime seeds were sown into different  media with or with out Azotobacter to study their effect on growth and development acid lime seedlings. The results  indicated that the medium combination soil + sand + vermicompost + vermiculite + cocopeat (1:1:1:1:1) with Azotobacter  had given significantly better result among different combinations. Under this treatment the height of seedling (13.75 cm),  number of leaves per seedling (22.46), diameter of stem (3.35 mm), fresh weight (2.77 g) and dry weight of seedling (1.18  g) were recorded significantly superior over other treatments used. Further it was also found superior with relation to  length of longest tap root (19.76 cm), diameter of tap root (2.95 mm), number of secondary roots (40.66), root/shoot ratio  (2.57), nitrogen content in leaf (1.86 %), chlorophyll content in leaf (5.44 mg/g) and leaf area of seedlings (1.43 cm ).