Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, cilt.49, sa.3, ss.637-650, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Propagation by seeds is very useful in ornamental horticulture, especially for flowering plant production. Seed germination and seedling growth are the most sensitive plant developmental stages and, in nurseries, are under the influence of many biotic and abiotic stress factors. Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms, and diatomaceous earth as supplemental Si has been shown to be beneficial for plant growth, flowering, and nutrient content under both well-watered and water-stressed conditions. This study aimed to determine the effects of different methods and doses of Si-containing diatomite on in vivo seed emergence and seedling growth of potted ornamental peppers under nursery conditions. The seeds were treated with a diatomite pretreatment (CS: coated seed via immersion in powder) and substrate drench (0, 5, 15, and 30 g/L). While the effect of treatments on emergence energy was statistically significant, the effects on final emergence percentage, mean emergence time, T50, and emergence index were not significant. On the other hand, the shoot length, number of nodes, root length, seedling vigor index, leaf width and length and seedling fresh and dry weight were highest at the lowest treatment dose of 5 g/L. Increasing the dose of Si-containing diatomite and the CS treatment caused a decrease in growth. As a result, the 5 g/L diatomite treatment is recommended to improve seedling growth. However, further studies on the use of Si-containing diatomite with different doses and application methods are recommended.