Efficient Utilization of Agro-industrial Waste through Vermicomposting and its Impact on Growth and Yield of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Background: Application of vermicompost produced from diverse organic wastes could be one of the most economical and attractive methods of solving waste disposal problem and increasing the nutrient contents of soil simultaneously. Vermicompost is used as an organic fertilizer, the effects of vermicompost obtained from different organic wastes on plant growth and yield. Methods: The vermicomposting of sugarcane trash and bagasse waste was carried out during (January-March) and by using the vermicompost a field culture experiment was conducted in brinjal for three months from April-June, 2019. There are 6 treatments namely T1-T6 and control. Vegetative parameters such as shoot length, root length, number of leaves, fresh weight, and dry weight at different stages (30, 60 and 90 DAS), number of flowers and number of branches on 60 and 90 DAS. On 90th day yield characters like number of fruits, diameter of fruits, fruit length, single fruit weight, fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per plot were analyzed. Results: A significant increase in shoot length (32.9, 55.3 and 98.5), root length (17.85, 25.10 and 33.30), number of leaves (21.33, 50.00 and 77.00), fresh weight (31.10, 48.30 and 55.55) and dry weight (7.10, 7.95 and 9.30) was observed in T5 - C5 (Predecomposted Sugarcane bagasse, Trichoderma asperelloids and earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) 5t/h) treatment, followed by T2 - C2 (Predecomposted Sugarcane trash, Trichoderma asperelloids and earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) 5t/h) treatment on 30, 60 and 90 DAS. A significant increase in number of flowers (27.50 and 55.50) and number of branches (22.50 and 27.50) was observed in T5 treatment followed by other treatments on 60 and 90 DAS. The maximum amount in number of fruits (22.00), fruit length (15.70), single fruit weight (93.15), fruit yield per plant (10.35) and fruit yield per plot (37.25) were noted in T5 treatment, followed by T2 treatment on 90 DAS and minimum amount were reported in control (soil). The results of the study clearly indicated that treatment T5 significantly increased the vegetative parameters and yield characters in brinjal.