Evaluation of Sustainable Agroecological Practices Based on the Application of Organic Substrates (Cocodust) in Vegetable Seedlings at the Nursery Level in the Producing Areas of Bangladesh

Seedling quality is a critical determinant of vegetable crop productivity, yet conventional soil-based nurseries in Bangladesh are frequently associated with high seedling mortality, soil-borne diseases, and excessive agrochemical use. This study assessed the agronomic performance and adoption potential of cocodust-based seedling nurseries compared with traditional soil-based practices across eight major vegetable crops in northern Bangladesh. Using a farm-level comparative mixed-methods design, data were collected from 80 vegetable farmers selected through stratified random sampling and grouped into cocodust users and traditional nursery users. Crop-wise differences in yield, harvesting time, and seedling mortality were analyzed using independent two-sample Welch’s t-tests. Cocodust application significantly increased yields of bitter gourd (17%), bottle gourd (18%), brinjal (23%), chili (23%), country bean (44%), and tomato (25%), while yield increases in cabbage (15%) and cauliflower (12%) were not statistically significant. Across all crops, seedling mortality was reduced by 68–82% under cocodust-based nurseries. Harvesting time was significantly shortened for all crops, with reductions of 8–15% in most cases and reaching 43–47% in chili and country bean. Cocodust use was associated with significantly reduced chemical fertilizer application in bitter gourd and marginally in tomato, and with reduced pesticide use in bitter gourd, country bean, and tomato, while organic fertilizer use remained high irrespective of nursery practice. Incidence of soil-borne diseases was significantly lower in bottle gourd and cauliflower under cocodust-based nurseries. Overall, cocodust-based seedling nurseries improved vegetable productivity, reduced early-stage seedling losses, shortened production cycles, and lowered reliance on chemical inputs in selected crops, highlighting cocodust as a low-cost and environmentally sustainable option for smallholder vegetable production systems.