EVALUATION OF SUBSTRATES FOR PRODUCING PLANTLETS OF MELON AND TOMATOES UNDER PLASTIC ROOF. DIVISA, PANAMA. 2002.

Abstract

A trial under a plastic roof was carried out to evaluate different substrates used to grow plantlets of melon and tomatoes. The substrates components were rice husks lombry compost, sand zeolite, peat from Bocas del Toro and imported one (flora gard, florave). These components were mixed in different proportions to verify their influence over parameters such as percentage of germination, rate of growth, plant height, symptoms of nutrient deficiencies, humid weight and roots growth. Melon plantlets grow better in a substrate composed by 50% of sand + 50% lombry compost and allows 88% of germination of tomato plantlets. Melon plantlets performed better in a substrate composed by 50% of imported peat 50% of rice husks and allowed a germination level of 90%.