Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 February 2014
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 12 substrates in the seedling growth of chili apple (Capsicum pubescens R. & P.) hybrid Grajales ST. The substrates were prepared with different proportions of five materials: perlite, coconut fiber, loam, Sunshine3 ® and wood dust. The seeds were sown in trays of 50 cavities. For the substrates were determined physical and chemical properties. Significant differences in growth parameters of seedlings are the effect of the substrate. Based on the remarkable accumulation of dry matter of each of the organs of the seedling, and their relative distribution, one can surmise a seedling quality with 47.70 % dry matter in leaves, 35.34 % in stem and 16.95 % in root. The substrate with better features for the production of chile apple seedlings was prepared with 25 % loam and 75 % perlite (v/v), which showed retention of 85.5 % moisture, electrical conductivity of 0.03 dS·m-1 and total porosity of 62.5 %.