Abstract
The study examined the influence of sub soil with organic material or materials compared to top soil on the growth of Hevea seedlings. Substitution of top soil with sub soil and five locally available organic materials on growth and nutrient contents of the rubber plants (Hevea brasiliensis) during nursery stage were studied. Only top soil was used as control treatment (T1). The experiment was included nine treatments and the combinations of the treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with twenty replicate plants. Plant growth parameters viz; diameter, height, leaf area and plant dry matter accumulation were measured periodically at the end of before and after budgrafting stages. Macro nutrient concentrations in leaves of the after budgrafting plants were determined to assess the nutritional status of the plant. Improved growth assessments; plant height, leaf area, plant dry matter accumulation and enhanced leaf nutrient contents could be observed with the treatment having sub soil and organic materials such as coir dust, poultry and refuse tea. Almost all growth assessments (94%) and all leaf nutrient contents (100%) related to sub soil with organic materials; coir dust or poultry or refuse tea or coir dust and poultry treatments gave significantly higher or no significant effect compared to top soil (T1). Deterioration of growth assessments; plant height, leaf area and plant dry matter accumulation could be observed with the treatments having sub soil and organic materials such as paddy husk and saw dust. All growth assessments (100%) related to sub soil with organic materials; paddy husk or saw dust or poultry and paddy husk or poultry and saw dust treatments gave significantly lower or no significant effect compared to top soil (T1). In general, many occasions (93%) leaf nutrient contents in sub soil + organic material or materials gave significantly higher or no significant effect compared to top soil (T1). It is evident from results that significantly higher many growth parameters associated with sub soil with coir dust could be accepted as a superior medium for polybag plants compared to the RRI recommended top soil only potting medium. Moreover, sub soil with refuse tea or poultry could be used as a substitute for top soil only medium without any failure.
Highlights
Rubber is a perennial crop grown for latex which is the economically important product given by the plant
Only the plant height and shoot dry matter accumulation were significantly higher in sub soil + poultry treatment (T4) compared to those in top soil (T1)
Plant height, leaf area, root and shoot dry matter accumulations which were measured at after bud grafting stage were significantly higher in sub soil + coir dust treatment (T2) compared to those in top soil (T1)
Summary
Rubber is a perennial crop grown for latex which is the economically important product given by the plant. Nursery stage is very important and the production of healthy planting material is an important aspect for the plantation industry in Sri Lanka. Numerous workers observed that the performances of rubber plants could be improved as results of improvement of soil fertility by the application of organic sources (Samarappuli et al, 1998; Samarappuli, 1995; Amarasiri and Wickramasinghe, 1978; Amarasiri and Wickramasinghe, 1977). Information in this aspect is not well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of organic materials with sub soil as a substitute for top soil on growth of rubber seedling plants in polybags
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