International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 267-278 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 276 Substrate composition also significantly affected vegetative traits, with stem diameter being greatest at 10 DAS in vermicompost-containing treatments, attributable to early nutrient availability and microbial activity that promote cell division and elongation (Chopra et al., 2017), though differences diminished by 20-30 DAS, possibly due to nutrient equilibration across treatments (Gama et al., 2015). The number of leaves per plant remained significantly influenced throughout, with combined media such as Cocopeat + Soil + Vermicompost and Vermicompost + FYM + Soil + Cocopeat showing superior leaf proliferation, explained by the optimal balance of aeration, moisture, and nutrient supply (Kumar et al., 2022; Mehata et al., 2023). Root and shoot growth trends confirmed the critical role of substrate heterogeneity: mixtures enriched with cocopeat improved porosity and water retention, soil provided anchorage and microbial diversity, while FYM and vermicompost offered sustained nutrient release and growth-promoting hormones (Arancon et al., 2006; Çelebi, 2019). The enhanced root elongation and shoot length in mixed substrates support the root-to-shoot signaling theory, where improved root function enhances nutrient and water uptake, thereby promoting shoot elongation (Chopra et al., 2017). Fresh weight was highest in cocopeat-containing treatments at early stages due to higher water retention and cell expansion (Ali et al., 2020), while dry weight, a more accurate measure of true biomass, was consistently superior in Soil + Cocopeat, reflecting efficient photosynthate allocation and structural growth (Kumar et al., 2022). Conversely, vermicompost alone, despite its nutrient richness, led to poor root anchorage, excessive porosity, and unbalanced moisture retention, resulting in significantly weaker root and shoot development (Gama et al., 2015; Mathowa et al., 2016). Overall, the findings underline that while single substrates may support certain parameters like speed of germination, it is the integrated mixtures—particularly Vermicompost + FYM + Soil + Cocopeat—that provide the most favorable combination of chemical and physical properties for superior seed germination, uniform seedling establishment, and vigorous early growth. This emphasizes the importance of selecting heterogeneous media with both organic and inert components to optimize seedling vigor, physiological growth, and eventual field performance (Banjade et al., 2023; Mehata et al., 2023). 5 Conclusion The present study clearly demonstrated that the composition of growing media has a profound and statistically significant effect on the germination and early growth performance of tomato seedlings. Among the various media tested, the mixture of Vermicompost + FYM + Soil + Cocopeat consistently emerged as the most effective across multiple parameters, including germination percentage (98.95%), vigor index (2601.39), root length (up to 12.47 cm), and leaf number (21.87). This treatment provided a balanced environment with optimal aeration, nutrient availability, and moisture retention, fostering superior seedling establishment and early vegetative growth. Additionally, Cocopeat + Soil + Vermicompost also exhibited strong performance in terms of germination percentage (96.87%), vigor, and leaf development, proving it to be a promising alternative media blend. Treatments with Vermicompost + Soil also showed commendable results, particularly in germination speed and root elongation, highlighting the beneficial synergy between organic amendments and soil. Conversely, media consisting solely of Cocopeat or Vermicompost consistently under performed in nearly all measured traits, including germination energy, leaf number, and root length, indicating that these single-component media lack the structural or nutritional balance needed for optimal seedling growth. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of using nutrient-rich, structurally balanced, and aerated growing media blends, especially those integrating vermicompost, FYM, soil, and cocopeat, to enhance the germination and early growth of tomato seedlings. These results have direct implications for nursery management and can be adopted for improving transplant quality in commercial tomato production systems. Authors’ contributions RK and DKM contributed to the methodology, drafted the original manuscript, and participated in review and editing. NA and PB participated in drafting the manuscript and reviewing and editing. SM contributed to writing the original draft and participated in
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