Black pepper vine establishment as affected by growing media and disinfectants

Akinrinola, Tajudeen B.; Oguntade, Olamijuwon E.; Oyelami, Kafayat O; ADEYEMI, Folasade O.

doi:10.21608/ejar.2025.344120.1625

Black pepper vine establishment as affected by growing media and disinfectants

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Crop and Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

² Department of Soil Resources and Environmental Management Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Ekiti State University, Nigeria.

10.21608/ejar.2025.344120.1625

Abstract

Black pepper is economically the most widely used spice crop around the world. Its cultivation is limited by the nursery's low success rate of vine cuttings. Appropriate growing media and uninfected cuttings could improve its establishment. Hence, this study investigates black pepper vine-cutting establishments using different growing media and disinfectants. A 2×5 factorial experiment involving two growing media [100% Soil and Sawdust+Soil (1:1)] and five disinfectants (Aloe vera, 10% HgCl₂, 20% Hypochlorite, 70% Ethanol, 100% Ethanol) were evaluated in a randomized complete design with five replicates. Data on days to sprouting, percentage of mortality, and days to dieback were subjected to analysis of variance and significantly different means were separated (p<0.05). Black pepper vines established in 100% Soil (26.91) had significantly earlier days of sprouting than Soil+Sawdust (38.31). The HgCl₂-treated vines sprouted significantly earlier than Hypochlorite, while others were similar. Combining 100% Soil and HgCl₂ promoted the earliest days of sprouting. The 100% Soil and HgCl₂ treatments significantly lowered mortality compared to Soil+Sawdust and other disinfectants. Vine mortality ranged from 0.00% (Soil × HgCl₂) to 60.00% Sawdust+Soil × Hypochlorite and Sawdust+Soil × 70% Ethanol. Vines in Sawdust+Soil (17.00) had shorter days to dieback than 100% Soil (21.67). Aloe vera treatment had no dieback. Days to dieback range from 0.00 (Soil × Aloe vera, Sawdust+Soil × 100% Ethanol and Soil × Hypochlorite) to 55.67 (Soil × 70% Ethanol) for the interaction effect. The 100% Soil with 10% mercuric chloride was most suitable for establishing black pepper vines.

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