International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 267-278 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 269 Figure 1 Administrative map of Bhojpur district showing research site 2.2 Experimental setup and cultural practices The experiment was conducted in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Treatments were allocated in the experimental plots as presented in Table 1. Tomato seeds of the Srijana variety, a widely cultivated hybrid variety in Nepal known for its high yield potential, uniform fruit size, and resistance to common tomato diseases such as bacterial wilt, were used in this study. The seeds were sourced from a reliable seed supplier, ensuring high germination percentage and genetic purity. For sowing, plastic trays were used, which are commonly available in different sizes and shapes (32, 50, 72, 100, and 125 cells in round, square, or truncated pyramid forms). In this experiment, 50-cell trays of 8 × 4 dimensions were selected. Each tray cell was half-filled with the designated growing media, after which a single seed was placed in each cell and then covered with media. Thus, each treatment contained 50 seeds. The trays were maintained under plastic tunnels to ensure favorable microclimatic conditions for germination and seedling establishment. Watering was carried out as needed using rose cans, based on the moisture content of the growing media. Table 1 List of growing media along with their specific notations S. N. Treatments Notations Mixing ratio 1 Vermicompost T1 100% 2 Cocopeat T2 100% 3 Soil T3 100% 4 FYM+Soil T4 1:3 5 Soil + Cocopeat T5 3:1 6 Vermicompost + Soil T6 1:3 7 Vermicompost + Cocopeat T7 1:2 8 Cocopeat + Soil + Vermicompost T8 2:3:1 9 Vermicompost + FYM + Soil + Cocopeat T9 1:1:3:2 2.3 Observation and data collection Throughout the experiment, various germination and growth parameters were systematically recorded. Germination was monitored daily for seven days following sowing to assess germination characteristics and trends. The number of germinated seeds was counted continuously during this period to evaluate germination
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