Studies on growth performance and chlorophyll content of rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) seedlings grown in different growing media under screen house conditions

Experiment was conducted during 2002–2003 in the College Orchard, Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) seeds extracted from healthy fruits collected from single tree were sown in well prepared seed bed on August 29, 2002. When the rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) seedlings attained the height of 15 cm, these were transplanted in black polythene bags (14” x 8.5” size, 250 gauze) filled with five different growing media under screen house and open field conditions. After their establishment, these seedlings were irrigated at fortnightly interval with half strength Hoagland nutrient solution upto 0.4–0.5 cm diameter and thereafter with full strength Hoagland nutrient solution upto the buddable stage of the seedlings. In rough lemon the plant height, stem girth, chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’ content were found better under screen house conditions than in open field conditions and in medium containing Soil + FYM + Sand + Burnt rice husk (1:1:1:1) than all other growing media, irrespective of growing conditions.