Comparative Effect of Potting Media on Sprouting and Seedling Growth of Grape Cuttings

Grapes (Vitisvinifera) are one of the main fruits cultivated in Pakistan belonging to the family Vitaceae. It is commercially grown in subtropical and temperate climates. It is a vine crop and trained on wires on both sides of plant. It is a short duration crop and consumed as fresh and in dried form [1]. This fruit is consumed in a number of varied forms such as wines, juices, jelly, jam and raisins [2]. In Pakistan grapes cultivation is estimated to cover an area of 13,000 hectares and production is about 49,000 tons per year[3]. Greater percentage (70) of grape production is in Baluchistan and the remaining in northern hilly areas of NWFP and Punjab[4].

A potting or growing medium is a substrate where roots of the plants grow and extract nutrients and water from medium, helps in the production of healthy seedlings in containers and bare root production and serve as the sole source of nutrition for the plants [5-7]. So, it is utmost important to select proper potting medium that is a basic step towards successful nursery of any fruit crop. Both the biological and physico-chemical characteristics of a potting medium affect plant and root growth[8]. The proper potting medium that is free from pathogens, have good drainage, water holding capacity and proper porosity and aeration is good to raise healthy nursery seedlings[9]. Three functions of growing media are; to support plant in soil, to hold and provide water as well as nutrient elements and to enable plant roots to get sufficient amount of oxygen [10]. It is general practice among growers to raise grape seedlings in soil which is amain cause of the pathogen infection as such seedlings are mostly affected by soil pathogens. A modern solution to such a problem is the use of potting medium. Suitable potting media are available in the market but it is difficult for the common grower especially those from developing countries to bare the high cost of the potting media [6]. The best alternative to cope with this problem is to utilize cheap and locally available sources to get good materials. Atypical common example is bagasse available in large quantities from sugarcane mills at lowest rates. Other materials like press mud, rice husk, wheat straw, farmyard manure, coconut husk and so many other materials are available in local premises in the country [11]. Meanwhile, growers must know the pros and cons of the material materials being used. The raising of grape seedlings in any potting medium is preferred in containers rather than field production because of easy marketing, long planting, marketing period, easy transportation and rapid product rotation [12].

Choosing the most suitable growing media for the achievement of a successful plant production is very important in potted growth. The growth and survival of the grape seedlings in a nursery is greatly affected by the potting medium. As it is a key source of nutrition and provides root system to the budded plants. Besides, water holding capacity, better aeration, root penetration, presence of organic matter in the growing medium and so many other related factors are greatly influenced by the growing medium [13]. A good potting medium must be easy to supply, process and a cheap source [14, 15]. Many suitable commercial growing media are available for raising healthy and quality seedlings of different crops but unavailability of the potting medium in the local premises of the city makes them more expensive [16]. Import of these potting media is not affordable for a local grower from developing countries like Pakistan. So, there is a need to optimize protocol for potting mix by using cheap source of materials of local premises that are easily available in large scale for rising of healthy and quality grape seedlings. The present study was therefore focusing on comparative effects of potting media on sprouting and seedling growth of grape cuttings.