STANDARDIZATION OF MEDIA MIXTURE FOR EX-VITRO HARDENING OF IN VITRO ROOTED PLANTLETS OF SPATHIPHYLLUM

Spathiphyllum, commonly known as the peace lily, is a widely cultivated ornamental plant valued for its aesthetic appeal and air-purifying properties in indoor environment under low light conditions.While micropropagation is an efficient method for large-scale production, the successful ex vitro acclimatization of tissue-cultured plantlets remains a challenge due to weak root systems, underdeveloped cuticles, and susceptibility to environmental stress.This study evaluated the influence of various potting media on the survival and growth performance of in vitro raised plantlets.The experiments were conducted at Dr. YSRHU-Horticulture Research Station, Kovvur during the year 2023-24.The rooted tissue culture plantlets were hardened in different media combinations comprising of red earth, FYM, cocopeat, sand, vermicompost, perlite and vermiculite under a controlled shade net environment.Among the media, the combination of Sand: Cocopeat: Vermicompost (1:1:2) resulted in the highest survival rate (96.7%), swift leaf emergence (8.50 days) and other superior growth parameters, including plant height (20.16 cm), number of leaves per plant (9.35), leaf area (6.44 cm 2 ), chlorophyll content (34.13), number of roots per plant (16.75) and root length (12.19 cm).The improved growth performance was attributed to the enhanced water retention, aeration and nutrient availability provided by the selected medium.These findings highlight the significance of optimized potting media in improving plantlet establishment, ensuring successful acclimatization, and enhancing commercial viability.This study provides valuable insights into the standardization of potting media for the efficient ex vitro hardening of Spathiphyllum plantlets.