Effects of different organic waste based nursery growing media on the growth performance of different tree saplings

The present investigation entitled “Effects of different organic wastes- based nursery growing media on the growth performance of different tree saplings” was performed at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during the year 2021-22 in order to evaluate the growth performance of tree saplings in different organic wastes and standardize the organic waste-based media for raising saplings. the experiment consists of six different treatments of different organic waste-based media – paddy straw compost, FYM, biogas slurry, sawdust, press mud along with control. Five different species of trees – Cassia fistula, Schleichera oleosa, Koelreuteria paniculata, Bauhinia variegate and Putranjiva roxburghii. the seedling and root growth parameters were found maximum in t₅ i.e., press mud. Among trees, the highest seedlings length (31.27 cm), root collar diameter (4.53 mm), shoot dry weight (4.26g) were observed in P. roxburghii. As for root growth characteristics, the primary root length (26.62 cm) and root dry weight (4.95 g) was found to be maximum in K. paniculata while the primary root diameter was found to be best in P. roxburghii (4.42 g). the chemical and physical properties were also found to be best in press mud. Based on the study, it can be concluded that the press mud based organic waste media can be used for raising ornamental tree saplings.