Optimisation of Growing Media Composition for Enhanced Vegetative Growth of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) in Soilless Culture

Abstract

The name “broccoli” is derived from the Italian word broccolo, meaning "cabbage’s flowering crest." It is a heavy feeder and requires ample nutrients for optimal growth. To overcome issues associated with soil-based cultivation-like pest pressure and nutrient inconsistency, soilless cultivation has gained popularity, especially in protected environments. An experiment was conducted at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Malla Reddy University, Hyderabad, during the year 2024-25 to determine the potential of different growing media with different ratios. Vermicompost (100%), Cocopeat (100%), Perlite (100%), Vermicompost + Cocopeat (70%+30%), Vermicompost + Perlite (70%+30%), Cocopeat + Vermicompost (70%+30%), Cocopeat + Perlite (70%+30%), Perlite + Vermicompost (70%+30%), Perlite + Cocopeat (70%+30%), Vermicompost + Cocopeat + Perlite (40%+40%+20%). These ten treatments were analysed in RBD with 3 replications. The higher observed in T10 (Vermicompost + Cocopeat + Perlite (40%+40%+20%) i.e., plant height (64.00 cm), leaf length (38.54 cm), leaf width (21.33 cm), number of leaves (15.47), plantspread diameter (77.23 cm) and the lowest plant height (54.87cm) leaf length (31.94 cm), leaf width (17.23cm), number of leaves (11.83), plant spread diameter (67.30 cm) was recorded in the treatment T3 [(Perlite (100%)]. It was concluded that among the treatments, T10 (Vermicompost + Cocopeat + Perlite at 40%+40%+20%) showed the highest yield performance, followed closely by T4 (Vermicompost + Cocopeat at 70%+30%).