Abstract
Although coir dust is recommended in the current potting mixture forraising coconut seedlings in polybags, it is becoming a scarce resource evenwithin the coconut triangle. Therefore it was considered imperative to testthe suitability of other options available locally.An experiment conducted at the Bandirippuwa Research Nursery ofthe Coconut Research Institute revealed that saw dust, paddy husk, decomposedstraw and weed trash were similar in action to coir dust in the pottingmedia, considering the growth parameters of seedlings. However, with duerespect to practical considerations, saw dust was found to be the best alternative.If there is no labour shortage, partially decomposed straw and weedtrash can be used. Paddy husk was found to be the least important.
Highlights
The system of raising coconut seedlings in polythene bags is popular in Sri Lanka (Wuidart, 1981; Peries and Everard, 1991) due to its proven benefits to the grower
Availability of coir dust is a major constraint in the non-traditional coconut growing areas, specially in dry zone, where other materials such as saw dust, paddy husk, straw and weed trash are in abundance
The results indicate that the material viz. saw dust, paddy husk, partially decomposed straw and weed trash were similar in action to coir dust
Summary
The system of raising coconut seedlings in polythene bags is popular in Sri Lanka (Wuidart, 1981; Peries and Everard, 1991) due to its proven benefits to the grower. Unless seedlings are raised in close proxim ity to the planting sites, the cost of transport will increase. The general potting mixture for raising coconut seedlings in polybags is a 1:2:3 mixture of top soil, cow dung and coir dust (Peries and Everard, 1991). Availability of coir dust is a major constraint in the non-traditional coconut growing areas, specially in dry zone, where other materials such as saw dust, paddy husk, straw and weed trash are in abundance. Even within the coconut triangle, coir dust increases the cost of production of the polybagged seedlings because of its increasing demand in the export market (Anonymous, 1994). The objective of the present study was to test the suitability of optional material as a replacement for coir dust in making a satisfactory potting mixture
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