Quality of Seedlings Raised in Root Trainers under Semi-arid Conditions of Central India

Abstract

Root trainers are increasingly being used to deal with the problems of root coiling and distortion, common to the polythene bag planting system. Experimental seedlings of three multipurpose tree species namely Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera and Dalbergia sissoo were raised in root trainers (150 cc Hiko pots) in a randomized block design. The seedlings were assessed for quality parameters, viz. Sturdiness quotient, root-shoot ratio, ratio of secondary + tertiary root biomass to the total root biomass and number of nodules. The quality of experimental seedlings was compared with seedlings raised in polythene bags kept on mounted angle iron beds. Root trainer raised seedlings were found to be better in sturdiness whereas seedlings raised in polythene bags showed higher nodulation. The results of the other two quality parameters assessed were comparable. No conclusive results could be drawn on the superiority of the two systems, whieh however, is possible once the seedlings are assessed for growth and survival after two to three years of fields planting.