Improvement of Plant Establishment in Bell Pepper with a Gel Mix Planting Medium

Abstract

Abstract Germinated pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds were combined with plug-mix, or plug-mix and Liquagel or Laponite 445 gel at various concentrations and volumes of solution to determine their effects on plant stands and seedling growth. Treatments with pregerminated seed led to earlier, more uniform seedling emergence and larger seedlings than those with non-pregerminated seeds. Final plant stands were similar for both treatments. Plant stands and seedling growth were greater and more uniform with Liqua-gel gel mix formulations than Laponite. Seeds in planting mixes with high concentrations of Laponite (2.0% by volume) and large volumes of gel solution (1.75 liter per liter of plug-mix) in dry and moist soils emerged slower and resulted in lower and less uniform stands than the plug-mix treatments. The optimum gel mix medium for plant establishment (rate and total emergence, stand uniformity, and early seedling growth) consisted of 1.0 liter of plug-mix per 1.25 liters of gel solution at a Liqua-gel concentration of 1.0%.