EFFECT OF BIOSLURRY EFFLUENT ON SEEDLING GROWTH OF SWISS CHARD (Beta vulgaris L.)

Glasshouse experiments to evaluate the effect of bioslurry effluent on seedling growth of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L) were conducted in summer 2017 and winter 2018 at Dohne Agriculture Development Institute, Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Two cultivars of Swiss chard, Star 1801 and Fordhook giant, were planted in 200 cavity trays using a hygromix commercial growing medium incorporated with fertilizer treatments at different rates of bioslurry: no incorporation (control), 50% bioslurry, 100% bioslurry, 200% bioslurry and the recommended rate of 2:3:4 (30) NPK fertilizers. In the glasshouse the experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) which was replicated three times. At four weeks after germination, ten (10) seedlings per treatment were destructively sampled randomly to determine the plant growth and biological mass parameters: i) Seedling height, shoot and root height; ii) Seedling mass; iii) Fresh shoot and fresh root mass as well as their dry mass; iv) Nutrient content of leaves. The results indicated that fertilization with 100%Bioslurry produced significantly taller seedlings and shoot height, while the shortest seedlings were obtained from the recommended inorganic fertilizer. Fertilization with 200%Bioslurry and the control treatment produced significantly higher biological yield compared to other treatments. The interaction between fertilizer treatments, cultivar and season indicated that summer season performed better compared to winter in seedling growth and development, and Fordhook giant fertilized with 100% and 200% bioslurry was superior compared to Star 1801. Fertilization with 50% bioslurry resulted in seedlings with higher sodium, while the seedlings grown in the control treatment showed higher copper content. The highest manganese was obtained from the seedlings fertilized with the inorganic fertilizer. It is therefore, concluded that fertilization with bioslurry at 100% and 200% bioslurry application rates enhanced the growth and quality of Swiss chard seedlings.