Impact of Cow Urine and Substrate Composition on Germination and Early Growth of Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Seedlings

Abstract

Aim: This study evaluates the impact of cow urine and substrate composition on the germination and early growth of papaya (Carica papaya L.) seedlings, a critical phase for successful crop establishment. Study Design and Methodology: Conducted as a factorial experiment, it assessed eleven substrate or growing media combinations with and without cow urine treatment. Results: Results reveal that cow urine significantly reduces the time to 90 percent germination (T90) and enhances the germination index, indicating its stimulatory effect on seed metabolic activity. Treatments combining cow urine with substrates like soil, sand, vermiculite, cocopeat, and perlite (T10) showed the shortest T90 and highest germination index, suggesting cow urine accelerates germination. Additionally, cow urine application improved growth metrics such as relative growth rate (RGR) and total biomass accumulation, with T10 and T8 treatments yielding the highest values. Enhanced leaf relative water content (LRWC) and elevated proline levels in cow urine-treated plants indicate better water retention and stress resilience. Strong positive correlations were observed among proline content, RGR, and biomass accumulation, highlighting cow urine’s contribution to vigorous seedling growth and stress adaptation. Conclusion: The findings suggest that cow urine, in combination with optimized substrates, is a sustainable growth enhancer that promotes robust seedling development, suitable for organic farming practices aimed at papaya cultivation.