Doses Of Vermicompost Research Articles

Impact of Vermicompost and Different Plant Activators on Yield and Some Quality Parameters in Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.)

In addition to being used as a snack, pumpkin seeds are an industrial product. It also has the potential to be used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Seed yield and quality are traits of economic importance. This study aims to determine the effect of vermicompost and different plant activators on the yield and some parameters of the pumpkin's quality. For this purpose, three plant activators [(ISR-2000 (I), Symbion-Vam (S), and Green-Miracle (G)] together with vermicompost (V) have been used. The experiment was conducted in the field of the Cukurova University Pozantı Agricultural Research and Application Center, Turkey. A total of 8 applications were made. Conventional fertilizer (CF) application was determined as the control group. The results showed that the applications increased the snack pumpkin's fruit, seed yield, and quality. The highest fruit and seed yield was obtained from CF (37.2 t ha-1, 101.42 g-1m2) application, followed by V+I (27.1 t ha -1, 80.09 g-1m2) application. Additionally, CF applications resulted in the highest fruit width (14.82 cm), length (23.31 cm), seed width (10.21 mm), and length (20.66 mm) of internal weight (74.33 %) measurements. Regarding mineral element and phenolic content, higher results were obtained when vermicompost and plant activators were combined. According to the study results, different doses of vermicompost may be recommended as an alternative to conventional fertilizer application in future studies.

Unveiling the Implications of Organic Nutrient Management Protocols on Soil Properties, Economic Sustainability, and Yield Optimization in Fenugreek Cultivation in Acidic Soils of Northeast India

Utilizing yield, profitability, and environmental sustainability in terms of soil quality as the goal variables, we created a methodological protocol for a thorough assessment of nutrient management (NM) technologies for feasibility and optimized fenugreek production employing organic sources of nutrients in the acid soil of Northeast India. Five organic nutrient management technologies were tried and tested comprising T1: absolute control; T2: 2.5 t ha−1 vermicompost (VC) + 250 kg ha−1 lime; T3: 5 t ha−1 farmyard manure (FYM) + 250 kg ha−1 lime; T4: 10 t ha−1 FYM + 250 kg ha−1 lime; and T5: 5 t ha−1 VC + 250 kg ha−1 lime with four replications laid out in a randomized block design for two consecutive growing seasons during 2018–2020. Results indicated that across the differential levels of organic amendments (treatments) employed, the addition of maximum doses of VC and FYM, in general, excelled over the other treatments concerning fenugreek seed yield, its yield attributes, soil properties, and better economic returns. Thus, the overall findings elucidated that the addition of higher doses of organic amendments (VC and FYM) can sustainably improve fenugreek productivity, soil properties, and economic returns for fenugreek growers in the acid soil of Northeast India.

Vermicompost Effects on Soil Chemistry and Biology: Correlations with Basil's (Ocimum basilicum L.) Total Phenolic Content and Phenological Traits

This study explores the effects of vermicompost on the chemical and biological properties of soils, their nutrient content, and the impact on the growth and phenolic content of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Using a controlled experimental setup, we tested five dosages of vermicompost (0%, 4%, 12%, 20%, and 24%) to evaluate their influence on soil biological activity by measuring basal respiration (CO2-C), microbial biomass C (MBC-C), and dehydrogenase enzyme activity (DHA) as well as on basil's growth parameters and total phenolic content (TPC). The results show that vermicompost addition to soil enhanced soil microbial activity in direct proportion to the dose of vermicompost. The application of lower dosages of vermicompost (4% and 12%) significantly enhanced both fresh and dry weights, suggesting an improvement in nutrient uptake and soil structure, which likely facilitated better root growth and nutrient absorption. However, higher dosages (20% and 24%) were associated with reduced growth metrics, likely due to nutrient overload or salt stress. Notably, the highest vermicompost concentration (24%) led to a substantial increase in total phenolic content (TPC) in basil leaves, correlating with decreased growth metrics. This response indicates the plant's defensive mechanism against oxidative stress caused by excess nutrients or salinity from the vermicompost. A multiple regression analysis following a correlation analysis also revealed an inversely proportional relationship between phosphorus content in the soil and total phenolic content in basil leaves. Our findings illustrate that while moderate vermicompost dosages optimize plant growth and health, higher concentrations can strategically enhance phenolic content due to nutrient overload or salt-induced stress. These results offer critical insights for tailoring organic amendment applications to balance plant growth and biochemical properties in agricultural practices.

VEGETATIVE COVER OF A MINE TAILINGS WITH BERMUDA GRASS (Cynodon dactylon L.) TO MITIGATE POLLUTION

The vegetative cover of mine tailings with grasses has environmental benefits and positive impacts on public health by improving air and water quality, as well as the overall well-being of surrounding communities. This study evaluated the ability of Cynodon dactylon L. grass in the cover of a mine tailing using three doses of vermicompost (Vlow [60 Mg ha-1], Vmedium [80 Mg ha-1], and Vhigh [100 Mg ha-1]) to improve the conditions of the site, which was physically and chemically characterized. The concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) were determined before and during the experiment. Ninety-six and 202 days after planting (dap), grass was harvested to determine the concentrations of the potentially toxic elements (PTE) in the root and aerial sections. The production of dry matter and the growth of the grass were evaluated. Results showed that, before the experiment was established, the tailing had a low concentration of organic matter. After incorporating the vermicompost, an increase was observed in the concentrations of phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). Ninety-six days after planting, in the treatment with the low dose of vermicompost, C. dactylon absorbed 202.13 mg Pb kg-1, 37.26 mg Ni kg-1, and 164.82 mg Zn kg-1 in its roots. Also at 96 dap, the highest PTE concentrations were found in the treatments with the highest dose of vermicompost. The greatest production of dry matter (231.55 kg ha-1 at 96 dap) and growth of the grass (9.7 cm, 73 dap) occurred in the treatment with the high dose of vermicompost, which highlights its efficiency in favoring its development and improving the conditions of the tailing. The absorption of the PTE by the grass highlights its contribution towards the reduction of dispersion and runoff of particles from tailings.

Effect of Vermicompost and Inorganic Fertilizer on Physico-chemical Properties of Soil on Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Keeping this in view on experiment is present with the following objective: To evaluate the effect of different doses of vermicompost with NPK on physico-chemical properties of soil. The soil of experimental area falls in order Inceptisol and soil texture was sandy loam (sand % 62.65, silt % 21.09 and clay % 16.26). The design applied for statistical analysis was carried out with randomized block design with three levels of @NPK 0, 50, and 100% ha-1 and three levels of @Vermicopost 0, 50 and 100% ha-1 respectively. The best treatment was effect on physical and chemical property of soil T9 (@100%NPK+ 100% Vermicompost) and yield Attributes T9 (@100%NPK+ 100% Vermicompost) of cowpea. The largest percentages of pore space (%) with depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm, 46.22% and 45.39%, water holding capacity (%) of 42.28% and 43.34%, and organic carbon (%) of 0.40% and 0.38% were found in the post-harvest soil and pre- harvest plant. There were 299.43 kg ha-1 and 293.36 kg ha-1 of available nitrogen, 22.34 kg ha-1 and 21.67 kg ha-1 of available phosphorus, and 179.84 kg ha-1 and 176.43 kg ha-1 of available potassium. The combination of T9-(@100%NPK+100% Vermicompost) demonstrated non-significant differences in particle density (Mg m-3) of 2.45 and 2.47 Mg m-3, pH of 6.89 and 6.91, and EC(dS m- 1) in bulk density (Mg m-3) with depth 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm, which was 1.40 and 1.41 Mg m-3, particle density (Mg m-3) was 2.45 and 2.47 Mg m-3 pH was 6.89 and 6.91 and EC(dS m-1) 0.46 dS m-1 and 0.50 dS m-1.

Integrated Nutrient Management: A Pathway to Enhanced Growth and Yield in Amaranthus tricolor L.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of manures, fertilizer, and biofertilizers application, either alone or in combination on seed germination, vigor, and yield of Amaranthus. Recommended rates of organic manures viz., farmyard manure (5 t/ha) and vermicompost (2.5 t/ha) biofertilizers i.e., Azotobacter and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria @ 200g per 10 kg of seed were integrated with the recommended dose of fertilizer @ 60: 40: 20 kg/ha NPK. The experiment was designed with twelve treatments with three replications that were laid out in a randomized complete block design. Results revealed that the treatment T12 which consists of half dose of NPK + half dose of vermicompost + Azotobacter and PSB observed early emergence of seeds (3.60 days) along with higher germination percentages (84.53 percent) as well as vigorous seedlings in terms of vigor index-1 (5.75) and vigor index-2 (5.56). The crop was harvested three times at a height of 20 cm and by the application of treatment T12, plants take minimum time for harvest i.e., 21.65, 30.65, and 41.16 days along with the highest yield i.e., 0.50, 1.15, and 0.85 kg per plot at first second and third harvest respectively. Therefore, it is clear that combining inorganic fertilizers with organic manures could increase soil health in addition to enhancing growth and facilitating consistent nutrition for the Amaranthus crop.

Vermicompost Supply Enhances Fragrant-Rice Yield by Improving Soil Fertility and Eukaryotic Microbial Community Composition under Environmental Stress Conditions.

Heavy-metal contamination in agricultural soil, particularly of cadmium (Cd), poses serious threats to soil biodiversity, rice production, and food safety. Soil microbes improve soil fertility by regulating soil organic matter production, plant nutrient accumulation, and pollutant transformation. Addressing the impact of Cd toxicity on soil fungal community composition, soil health, and rice yield is urgently required for sustainable rice production. Vermicompost (VC) is an organic fertilizer that alleviates the toxic effects of Cd on soil microbial biodiversity and functionality and improves crop productivity sustainably. In the present study, we examined the effects of different doses of VC (i.e., 0, 3, and 6 tons ha-1) and levels of Cd stress (i.e., 0 and 25 mg Cd kg-1) on soil biochemical attributes, soil fungal community composition, and fragrant-rice grain yield. The results showed that the Cd toxicity significantly reduced soil fertility, eukaryotic microbial community composition and rice grain yield. However, the VC addition alleviated the Cd toxicity and significantly improved the soil fungal community; additionally, it enhanced the relative abundance of Ascomycota, Chlorophyta, Ciliophora, Basidiomycota, and Glomeromycta in Cd-contaminated soils. Moreover, the VC addition enhanced the soil's chemical attributes, including soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (TN), and microbial biomass C and N, compared to non-VC treated soil under Cd toxicity conditions. Similarly, the VC application significantly increased rice grain yield and decreased the Cd uptake in rice. One possible explanation for the reduced Cd uptake in plants is that VC amendments influence the soil's biological properties, which ultimately reduces soil Cd bioavailability and subsequently influences the Cd uptake and accumulation in rice plants. RDA analysis determined that the leading fungal species were highly related to soil environmental attributes and microbial biomass C and N production. However, the relative abundance levels of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Glomeromycta were strongly associated with soil environmental variables. Thus, the outcomes of this study reveal that the use of VC in Cd-contaminated soils could be useful for sustainable rice production and safe utilization of Cd-polluted soil.

Integration of Horse Manure Vermicompost Doses and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Improve Fruit Quality, and Soil Fertility in Tomato Field Facing Drought Stress.

Climate change poses major challenges for agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions, with drought conditions severely affecting water-intensive crops such as tomatoes. This study evaluates the efficacy of organic amendments, derived from horse manure, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on enhancing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit quality and soil health under semi-arid field conditions. The experimental design included two irrigation regimes (well-watered and drought stress) and two levels of vermicompost application (C1 5 t ha-1 and C2 10 t ha-1), applied individually or in combination with AMF. The results indicate that drought stress reduced tomato fruit growth and yield, while osmoprotectant accumulation, antioxidant enzyme activity, and bioactive compound levels increased, and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of tomato fruit also increased. Notably, the biostimulants application, especially (C1+AMF), counteracted the adverse effects of drought, compared to the control, by significantly enhancing fruit yields (60%), as well as increasing ascorbic acid levels (59%) and free amino acids content (90%). These treatments also improved the activity of bioactive compounds and nutrient uptake in the fruit. Furthermore, biostimulant application positively affected the physicochemical properties of soil. The results obtained confirm that the application of biostimulants can be suitable for improving crop sustainability and adaptability under conditions of water stress in semi-arid field regions.

Determination of the Effects of Different Irrigation Levels and Vermicompost Doses on Water Consumption and Yield of Greenhouse-Grown Tomato

This study was conducted in pots under a polycarbonate greenhouse to determine the effects of different irrigation levels and vermicompost doses on the morphological and phenological characteristics, water consumption, water use efficiency, and yield parameters of tomato plants. For this purpose, different irrigation levels of 100%, 75%, 50% (I100: full irrigation, I75, I50) and vermicompost (VC) doses of 0, 10% and 20% (VC0, VC10 and VC20, w/w) were applied as the treatments. The study’s results determined the irrigation levels and vermicompost doses affected the tomato plants’ morphological and fruit quality parameters. The highest and lowest plant water consumption (ET) values for the treatments were determined as 47.8 L (I100VC10) and 21.2 L (I50VC0), respectively. Moreover, irrigation water levels and vermicompost doses significantly influenced the total yield of tomatoes. The highest and lowest total and marketable yields were obtained from the I100VC20 and I50VC0 irrigation levels and vermicompost doses. Similarly, the highest and lowest total water use efficiencies were achieved from the I100VC20 (21.9 g L−1) and I50VC0 (11.0 g L−1) treatments. Furthermore, the highest and lowest marketable water use efficiencies were obtained from the I100VC20 (21.9 g L−1) and I50VC0 (7.8 g L−1) treatments. The yield response factor (ky) was found to be 1.42. Although the highest efficiency was achieved from 100% full irrigation and a 20% vermicompost dose in the study, it is suggested that 75% irrigation level and 10% fertilizer doses can also be applied in places where water is limited and fertilizer is expensive. The results revealed that the appropriate irrigation level and vermicompost doses could reliably be used to enhance tomato yield.

Response of Vermicompost and Urea Combination Fertilizer Doses on the Growth and Yield of Scallion Plants (Allium fistulosum L.)

Leeks (Allium fistulosum L.) are short-lived horticultural crops and have great commercial potential. The productivity of leeks in Indonesia, especially in the East Java region, is experiencing fluctuations, this is due to the problem of decreasing soil fertility. The use of inorganic fertilizers is one of the causes of decreasing soil fertility where the use of inorganic fertilizers in Indonesia reached 105.22 kg/ha, being the highest use compared to several countries in Southeast Asia. Therefore, I offer a solution to this problem, namely by combining the use of inorganic fertilizer with organic fertilizer, for this you can use urea fertilizer and vermicompost fertilizer, where vermicompost fertilizer has advantages compared to other compost fertilizers in terms of complete content starting from microorganisms, growth hormones, and nutrients. The aim of the research I conducted was to determine the interaction of applying urea fertilizer and vermicompost on the growth and yield of leek plants (Allium fistulosum L). The research was conducted at the Green House using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 2 factors, each of which had 3 levels and was repeated 3 times to obtain 27 plant units. The first factor was a vermicompost dose of 0 g/polybag, 75 g/polybag, and 150 g/polybag, while the second factor was a urea dose of 0 g/polybag, 1 g/polybag, and 2 g/polybag. The experimental results showed that the best dose for the combined interaction of vermicompost and urea fertilizer treatment was 75 g/polybag vermicompost and 2 g/polybag urea to increase the number of leaves and height of leek plants.

Ef fect of a Marine Bacterium and Vermicompost on Antioxidant Properties and Fruit Quality of Solanum lycopersicum L.

The present study aimed to evaluate caporal hybrid tomatoes’ antioxidant capacity and fruit quality under greenhouse conditions when applying a combination of a marine bacteria (Stenotrophomonas rhizophila) and dif ferent doses of vermicompost. A random block design was used, with 12 treatments: Inorganic fertilized (IF, control treatment), S. rhizophila (Sr), 60, 150, and 300 g of vermicompost (V), and the combination of Sr+V (Sr+V60, Sr+V150, and Sr+V300), with 20 repetitions each. Plant height, stem diameter, number of flowers, number of fruits, colony-forming units (CFU), polar and equatorial diameter of the fruit, fruit firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids (TSS), lycopene, vitamin C, fruit weight and yield per plant were evaluated. These were analysed with the Statistical Package and the Tukey mean test with a significance level of 0.05%. The analysis showed significant dif ferences for all the variables evaluated with Sr+V300 as the best treatment. It is concluded that the use of bacterium isolated from marine environments in combination with vermicompost favors the antioxidant contents and fruit yield being an alternative use in this vegetable.

Effects of Vermicompost and Salinity on Proctor Optimum Water Content, Maximum Dry Bulk Density and Consistency of a Sandy Clay Loam Soil

ABSTRACT Salinity and sodicity greatly influences ongoing physical processes in soils. Organic matter may rehabilitate physical and mechanical properties of soils. Vermicompost as an amendment influences moisture-related parameters including consistency (plastic – PL and liquid limit – LL) and compaction. This study was conducted on soils (sandy-clay-loam) treated with different salinity levels (0.58 (control – irrigation water quality, tap water), 4 and 8 dS m−1) to investigate the effects of different vermicompost doses (0% (control), 2.5% and 5% w/w) on soil consistency limits and compaction. The pot experiment was carried out in a total of 27 pots, i.e. 3 (vermicompost doses) x 3 (salinity levels) x 3 (number of replicates). For Proctor compaction properties, maximum dry bulk density (MDD) reduced and optimum water contents (OWC) increased with increasing vermicompost doses under different salinity levels (p < .01). Increasing vermicompost doses under the lowest salinity level (0.58 dS m−1) yielded increasing optimum water contents for control (LL = 35.93% and PL = 25.85%). Optimum water contents were determined as 42.19% (LL) and 29.93% (PL) for 2.5% vermicompost dose and as 47.33% (LL) and 36.01% (PL) for 5% vermicompost dose under the lowest salinity level. LL, PL, OWC and MDD were significantly affected by vermicompost x salinity interactions. The highest maximum dry bulk density (1.92 g cm3) and the lowest optimum water contents (13.50%) were obtained from 0% vermicompost under the 8 dS m−1 NaCl level. Mean weight diameter (MWD) values ranged from 0.690 mm for 0% VC treatment under high Na salt level (8 dS m−1 NaCl) to 0.821 mm for 5% VC treatment under lowest Na salt level (0.58 dS m−1 NaCl). The correlations between aggregate stability (particle size group 1–2 mm) and optimum water content were 0.647*, 0.587* and 0.598* as compared to correlations of −0.512*, −0.470*, and −0.617** between aggregate stability (particle size group 1–2 mm) and maximum dry bulk density for the 0, 4 and 8 dS m−1 NaCl levels, respectively. MWD was positively correlated with OWC (0.386*) and negatively correlated with MDD (−0.385*). The greatest (2.39%) and the lowest (0.32%) soil organic matter values were respectively observed in 5% VC under the lowest salinity level (0.58 dS m−1) and 0% VC with at high Na salt level (8 dS m−1 NaCl). It was concluded that vermicompost reduced compaction-induced damage in soils.

Soil food web structure coordinated by soil omnivores sustains soil multifunctionality in moderate vermicompost amended fields

Biodiversity can enhance soil multifunctionality through strengthening biotic interactions in soil food webs, but largely unknown in agroecosystems. We therefore predicted that vermicompost, serving as an organic amendment and soil health conditioner, could enhance trophic interactions among bacteria, fungi and nematodes and mediate synergies and trade-offs among soil functions, especially when substituting synthetic fertilizer was applied to soils. Soil multifunctionality was assessed from plant growth and product quality, carbon and nutrient cycling, water and climate regulation in an intensive cropping system. Pepper, tomato and spinach were cultivated in rotation annually, with substituting vermicompost as a nutrient replacement for synthetic fertilizer for 5 years. Results showed that substituting a moderate dose of vermicompost for synthetic fertilizer offered the highest soil multifunctionality by enhancing synergies among multiple functions. The vermicompost-stimulated multifunctionality was primarily attributed to the cascading effects of the complex food web structure induced by omnivorous nematode. These effects were regulated by the physicochemical environment of the vermicompost-amended soil. Notably, the multifunctional benefits degraded when higher rates of vermicompost were applied, suggesting that over-use of vermicompost combined with an inadequate amount of synthetic fertilizer could simplify soil food web structure and decrease soil functions, mainly due to the nutrient limitation and increasing harmful substances as indicated by C:N stoichiometry, heavy metals and antibiotic resistance genes. In intensive agricultural systems, finding an optimal balance of organic amendments and synthetic fertilizer that supports complex soil food web interactions is therefore crucial for promoting multiple soil functions and particularly sustaining the production of high-quality food crops.

Synergistic effects of vermicompost and mycorrhizal inoculation on arsenic tolerance and phytostabilization in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.).

Arsenic (As) is a hazardous metalloid, and mycorrhizal inoculation and vermicompost amendment can influence As bioremediation. However, the studies concerning the sole and joint effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and vermicompost on the phytoremediation efficacy are limited. In the present study at first, the impact of various levels of vermicompost (0, 2, 4, and 8% w/w) was investigated on As mobility in soil and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) plants grown in soils of spiked with 0, 40, and 80 mg kg-1 As. Results revealed that with increasing dose of vermicompost, bioavailable As in soil decreased which resulted in a lower bioaccumulation factor and translocation factor (TF) and led to a significant increase of tolerance index (TI) and total chlorophyll content in plants. The highest effect on TI and total As accumulation per plant was obtained in the dosage of 8% vermicompost. Therefore, in the second experiment, the sole and joint effects of 8% vermicompost and inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices were assessed on the tolerance and accumulation of As in safflower. The addition of vermicompost aggravated mycorrhizal colonization but did not significantly influence mycorrhizal dependency under As stress. The joint effects of AMF and vermicompost improved the dry weight of roots and shoots, increased P concentration and P:As ratio in shoots, reduced malondialdehyde content, and moderated ascorbate peroxidase activity in leaves of As-stressed plants. Interestingly, co-application of AMF and vermicompost more than their sole usage decreased As concentration in shoots and TF and more strongly increased total As accumulation per plant. These findings suggest that mycorrhizal inoculation and vermicompost have a synergistic effect on As tolerance and phytostabilization efficacy of safflower plants, and their combined application may be a new option to remediate As-contaminated soils.

The effects of the combination of mycorrhizae, vermicompost and humic acid applications on ornamental sunflower growth parameters

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination of mycorrhizal fungi, vermicompost, and humic acid application on ornamental sunflower growth. The study employed ornamental sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. ‘Sunsantion’) as the plant material. Seedlings, acquired from a local ornamental production company at the four-true-leaf stage, were planted in plastic pots (2 L) containing peat perlite medium (1:1 v/v). The research incorporated three distinct doses of humic acid (10, 20, and 30 ml/L) and vermicompost (10, 20, and 30 ml/L). Humic acid (HA) and vermicompost (VC) were applied by soil drenching with 200 ml solution per pot. After one week, the seedlings were transferred into the pots. In all Mycorrhizae applications, 2 g/pot mycorrhizae inoculated during seedling transferred into the pots. Additionally, 20 ml of humic acid (HA20/M2) and vermicompost (VC20/M2) were combined with mycorrhiza application and applied to the plants. No application was made to the control group. Relative growth rate (RGR) was calculated from harvested samples of individuals from the same application group at 15 and 30 days after plants were transferred into the pots. The highest RGR obtained from HA20/M2 and vermicompost VC20/M2 treatments was 3.55 and 3.48, respectively. Additionally, the highest values of flower diameter (11.71 cm), stem length (41.13 cm), stem diameter (8.46 cm), and flower longevity (10.4 days) were observed in VC20/M2 treatment.

Vermicompost Dosage Effects on Physical and Physico-Chemical Properties of Non-GM Cotton in Vidarbha's Rainfed Farms

The experiment, conducted at COART, Akola during Kharif 2021-22, evaluated the impact of various vermicompost doses on physical and physico-chemical properties of Non-GM cotton cultivars in rainfed agriculture. Employing an FRBD with eight treatments replicated thrice, the study revealed that the application of 60 kg N ha-1 through vermicompost (T4) led to the most significant improvements: reduced soil bulk density (1.24 Mg m-3), increased water holding capacity (58.22%), and elevated organic carbon content (5.67 g kg-1). The Hirsutum cultivar, Chetna J1, displayed the best results. Conversely, the lowest pH (7.57) and EC (0.25 ds m-1) were observed in treatment T2, where 60 kg N ha-1 was supplied through vermicompost to the Arboreum cultivar, AVC 14.

The effect of vermicompost on the growth and productivity of pepper in Yakutia

The purpose of this paper is to presents the main results on the study of the effect of different doses of vermicompost on the growth and yield of pepper in the conditions of Yakutia. Experiments on testing fertilizers were carried out on peppers of the “Nezhnost” variety. In variant, there were 10 plants. Experimental scheme: 1 variant - was only with soil; variant 2 in addition to this vermicompost - 100 g; variant 3 vermicompost - 300 g; variant 4 vermicompost - 500 g; variant 5 - the biological product “Baikal EM 1” - 100 ml per well with 100 g semi-rotted manure. The optimal rate of application of vermicompost was determined at which plant growth increased by 20.89%, the total leaf area - by 36.55%. All this together affected the yield of pepper. The second best result was obtained when using the biological product “Baikal EM 1”. At the same time, plant growth indicators improved by 12.18%, the total area of the leaf increased by 24.72%. The data obtained complement the scientific base in the field of northern crop production in terms of the use of vermicomposts from local raw materials.

The Effect of the Increasing Doses of Vermicompost Applications to Soil on Some Nutrient Concentrations in Olive (Olea europaea L.) Leaves

This research was conducted on young olive (Olea europaea L.) trees in a private cultivation land located in Bozkoy closed to Geyikli District of Çanakkale Province, Türkiye in the year 2018. The study aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of vermicompost [(control) 0, 2, 4, 6 kg tree-1] on macro and micro nutrient elements of olive trees. Randomized complete block design was established applying four doses with 5 replications. Vermicompost was applied to the soil in a depth of 15-20cm under the crown projection area. During the fruit maturity stage, the leaf samples were collected from annual shoot tip leaves. Macro nutrient element concentrations namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) stayed inside the limit values upon applications of increasing doses of vermicompost. While the changes were statistically non-significant. Even though, this research was an annual study comprised on a single year, where N was in an increasing trend and 2 kg tree-1 was found to be the most effective dose of vermicompost on N values (17.13 g kg-1). Among the leaf micro nutrient elements, statistically significant increases were obtained by 2 kg tree-1 on copper (Cu) (31.32 mg kg-1), on manganese (Mn) (50.77 mg kg-1), and 6 kg tree-1, on zinc (Zn) (21 mg kg-1); while a decrease was ob-served on iron (Fe) concentration by 6 kg tree-1 (100.88 mg kg-1). Micro nutrient elements remained under the limit of toxic effect upon all the applications. The dose 2 kg tree-1 was determined to be the most suitable one in terms of both macro and micro element concentrations under such trial circumstances.

Effect Of Long Term Application Of FYM And Vermicompost On Soil Carbon Pool, Enzymes And Microbial Activities In Pearl Millet-Chickpea Cropping Sequence After 6th Crop Cycle

The field experiment was carried out on a fixed site at the research farm of Bajra Research Scheme, College of Agriculture, Dhule, Maharashtra, India which was initiated during 2013-2014. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments replicated three times. Treatments for pearl millet composed of T1: Control, T2: 100% recommended dose of fertilizer through inorganic fertilizers, T3: 100 % recommended dose of nitrogen through farm yard manure, T4: 100 % recommended dose of nitrogen through vermicompost, T5: 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen through farm yard manure + 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen-through vermicompost, T6: 5-ton farm yard manure ha-1, T7: 3-ton vermicompost ha-1 and T8: 2.5-ton farm yard manure ha-1 + 1.5-ton vermicompost ha-1). However, treatments for chickpeas are composed of T1: Control, T2: 100% recommended dose of fertilizer through inorganic fertilizers, T3 to T8: residual effect of farm yard manure, and vermicompost alone and in combinations. The experimental soil was alkaline, calcareous, clayey in texture, low in available nitrogen and phosphorus and high in available potassium. The continuous application of the 100 % recommended dose of nitrogen through farm yard manure for 6 years to pearl millet showed improvement in organic carbon fractions, soil enzyme activity, soil microbial population, and pearl millet equivalent yield. This treatment was followed by the application of 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen through farm yard manure + 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen through vermicompost.

Substation of vermicompost mitigates Cd toxicity, improves rice yields and restores bacterial community in a Cd-contaminated soil in Southern China

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soil is a global concern for soil health and food sustainability because it can cause Cd accumulation in cereal grains. An in-situ stabilizing technology (using organic amendments) has been widely used for Cd remediation in arable lands. Therefore, the current study examined the influence of vermicompost (VC) on soil biochemical traits, bacterial community diversity and composition, Cd uptake and accumulation in rice plants and grain yield in a Cd-contaminated soil during the late growing season in 2022. Different doses of VC (i.e., V1 = 0 t ha−1, V2 = 3 t ha−1 and V3 = 6 t ha−1) and two concentrations of Cd (i.e., Cd1 = 0 and Cd2 = 50 mg Cd Kg−1 were used. We performed high-throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons to characterize soil bacterial communities. The addition of VC considerably affected the diversity and composition of the soil bacterial community; and increased the relative abundance of phyla Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Plantomycetota, Gemmatimonadota, Patescibacteria and Firmicute. In addition, VC application, particularly High VC treatment, exhibited the highest bacterial diversity and richness (i.e., Simpson, Shannon, ACE, and Chao 1 indexes) of all treatments. Similarly, the VC application increased the soil chemical traits, including soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (TN), total potassium (TK), total phosphorous (TP) and enzyme activities (i.e., acid phosphatase, catalase, urease and invertase) compared to non-VC treated soil under Cd stress. The average increase in SOC, TN, AN, TK and TP were 5.75%, 41.15%, 18.51%, 12.31%, 25.45% and 29.67%, respectively, in the High VC treatment (Pos-Cd + VC3) compared with Cd stressed soil. Redundancy analysis revealed that the leading bacterial phyla were associated with SOC, AN, TN, TP and pH, although the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidata, and Acidobacteria on a phylum basis and Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Myxococcia on a class basis, were highly correlated with soil environmental factors. Moreover, the VC application counteracted the adverse effects of Cd on plants and significantly reduced the Cd uptake and accumulation in rice organs, such as roots, stem + leaves and grain under Cd stress conditions. Similarly, applying VC significantly increased the fragrant rice grain yield and yield traits under Cd toxicity. The correlation analysis showed that the increased soil quantities traits were crucial in obtaining high rice grain yield. Generally, the findings of this research demonstrate that the application of VC in paddy fields could be useful for growers in Southern China by sustainably enhancing soil functionality and crop production.