The Effects of Top Coat Substrates on Seedling Growth of Marigold

Abstract

Seed germination and seedling growth of bedding plants are affected by various environmental conditions and cultivation techniques. In seedling cultivation of many bedding plants, a top coat is used to maintain sufficient moisture content around the seeds and to obtain high germination rate and rapid emerging. Therefore, the effect of some different top coat materials was investigated on seedling growth of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) in this study. For this purpose, vermiculite, coarse river sand, quartz sand and sewage sludge were used as a top coat in seedling cultivation of two marigold cultivars (Discovery Yellow and Discovery Orange). Furthermore, uncovered treatment was defined as control. In the study, the effects of different top coat treatment on the parameters of seed emerging and the characteristics of seedling were evaluated. Emerging percentage, mean emerging time, mean daily emerging, speed of emerging and peak value of emerging were determined as a parameters of seed emerging. Plant height , compactness value, hypocotyl length, epicotyl length , hypocotyl thickness, epicotyl thickness, root length , stem length, canopy height, leaf length , number of leaf, fresh and dry weights (root, shoot and plant), and root/shoot ratio were evaluated as a plant characteristics. At the end of the experiment, maximum emerging percentage on both cultivars was recorded by vermiculite treatment. Besides, emerging percentage in sewage sludge was determined to be taken into consideration. As a consequence of the study, it was found that coarse river sand; quartz sand and vermiculite had an importance to obtain taller and higher quality seedlings. On the other hand, sewage sludge were found remarkable alternative for stunted seedlings.