Influence of different growth media to promote plant and root growth of Coleus vettiveroides

Coleus vettiveroides, commonly known as Hrivera, is a perennial herb belonging to family Lamiaceae. Plant is succulent, aromatic herb with quadrangular stems and branches and deep straw coloured roots, leaves glandular hairy, broadly ovate with dentate margins and prominent veins on the back. A pot experiment was conducted to standardize the growth media for optimum secondary root yield. The experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Hesaraghatta, Bangalore. Plant height (83 cm) was significantly higher with 25% sand + 75% soil, which was on par with 50% sand+50% soil+FYM 10 t/ha (82.34 cm). Number of leaves per plant (108), number of branches per plant (14), leaf weight per plant (236 g), stem weight per plant (440 g) and primary root weight per plant (45 g) were significantly higher with the pot mixture of 50% sand+50% soil+FYM 10 t/ha. Secondary root weight per plant (67.67 g) was significantly higher in 100% soil. Total biomass per plant (782.34 g) was significantly higher with pot mixture of 50% sand+50% soil+FYM 10 t/ha.