Abstract

ARLETTE IVONNE, GIL C.  and  DIAZ M., LUIS JAVIER. Evaluation of container types on the root growth of coffee (Coffea arabica L. cv. Castillo) in the nursery stage. rev.colomb.cienc.hortic. [online]. 2016, vol.10, n.1, pp.125-136. ISSN 2011-2173.  https://doi.org/10.17584/rcch.2016v10i1.4461.

With the aim of finding alternatives that allow coffee producers to use reusable containers for more vigorous seedlings with a hard and well-formed root system, the root growth of coffee, cv. Castillo, seedlings was evaluated when sown in different types of containers with different dimensions, determining the variables of tap root length, root volume, root biomass and percentage of plants with deformation in the tap root, in the municipality of Tibacuy (Cundinamarca). Six treatments were distributed in a completely randomized block design with four repetitions, distributed as follows: 3x6 seed tray (18 wells) with a 17.3 cm depth; 3x6 seed tray (18 wells) with a 21.8 cm depth; 2x4 seed tray (8 wells) with a 17 cm depth; 2x4 seed tray (8 wells) with a 21.4 cm depth; 11x20 cm black polyethylene bag, and 17x23 cm black polyethylene bag. The results showed statistical differences for the evaluated variables because the restriction in the rooting space affected the root growth, with the plants sown in the containers with the greatest depth having the best characteristics, such as largest root length, root volume and root biomass. Those sown in the plastic seed tray with 18 wells and a depth of 21.8 cm had notable results, which recommends its use in the nursery phase due to the fact that it is reusable and that the environmental impact would be decreased.

Keywords : root length; root volume; root biomass; root deformation; reusable seed trays.

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