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ABSTRACT
A study was carried out in December to March 2023/2024 at the Department of Crop Science Screen House, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus, Benin City to evaluate the response of soursop seedling to growth media, sowing depth and watering regime. The trial involved three topsoil (TS) and cattle dung (CD) potting mixtures (TS+CD 1:1, TS+CD 1:2 and TS+CD 2:1) and three sowing depths (2, 4 and 6 cm), and 3 watering regime (everyday, once in 3 days and once in 5 days) laid out in a 3×3×3 factorial arrangement fitted into Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. Data were collected on plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and leaf area at 8 to 12 weeks after sowing (WAS). At 12 WAS, data were collected on total dry weight and its partitions (shoot dry weight, root dry weight and root to shoot ratio). Results showed that potting medium TS +CD 1:1 gave higher growth but was not significantly superior to TS + CD 2:1. Conversely, seedlings grown in TS +CD 1:2, displayed lower growth parameters. Sowing depth and watering regime had no significant effect on the growth parameters of soursop seedlings. The tallest plant (34.50) was obtained from plants sowed in TS +CD 1:1, at a depth of 6cm and watered everyday at 12 WAS. The thickest stem (1.60cm) was obtained from plants sowed in TS + CD 2:1 at depth of 2cm and watered once in 5 days. The highest number of leaves (13.67) was obtained from the interaction of TS +CD 1:1, depth of 6cm and watered everyday. TS + CD 1:1 and 2:1 had higher total dry weight and root dry weight than TS + CD sowing depth and watering regime had no effect on total dry weight and its partition. Based on these findings, a combination of potting media TS + CD 2:1, sowing depth of 2cm and once in 5 days irrigation is suggested for raising of soursop seedlings.
