Effect of Vermicompost and Chemical Fertilizer on Growth,Herb, Oil Yield,Nutrient Uptake,Soil Fertility,and Oil Quality of Rosemary

Essential oil of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) possesses good olfactory properties and is suitable for use in perfumes, soaps, and fragrances. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years (2003?2005) in an area experiencing a semi-arid tropical climate to study the influence of vermicompost and chemical fertilizer on growth, herb, oil yield, nutrient uptake, soil fertility, and oil quality of rosemary. Results from the experiment revealed that among the seven treatments, the application of vermicompost (8 t ha^?1) + fertilizer nitrogen (N)?phosphorus (P)??potassium (K) (150:25:25 kg ha^?1) produced optimum herbage and oil yield of rosemary compared with control (no fertilizer) and was found to be on par with application of fertilizer NPK 300:50:50 kg ha^?1. Content and quality of oil were not influenced by vermicompost and chemical fertilizers. Furthermore, it was noticed that available N and P were greater in postharvest soils that received vermicompost alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers than control (no fertilizer) and inorganic fertilizer?treated soil. This study indicates that combined application of vermicompost and chemical fertilizer helps to increase crop productivity and sustain the soil fertility.     

Studies on the Effects of Vermicompost on Physicochemical Properties and Growth of Two Tomato Varieties under Greenhouse Conditions

This research was conducted to investigate effects of different vermicompost rates on breeding quality and growth of two tomato varieties. Six treatments were applied, combining vermicompost (VC) with rice husk ash (RHS) and coconut fiber (CF) with the following proportions: 3/3 VC (control treatment, T1), 2/3 VC + 1/3 RHS (T2), 2/3 VC + 1/3 CF (T3), 1/3 VC + 2/3 RHS (T4), 1/3 VC + 2/3 CF (T5), and 1/3 VC + 1/3 RHS + 1/3 CF (T6). The results demonstrated that there was significant difference between combining VC, RHS, and CF into EC and combining those into macronutrients of substrates with increasing VC mixture proportion; however, water-holding capacity (WHC), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) contents were significantly increased with reduced VC mixture proportion. A mixture of VC with RHS and CF made with the rate of 1:1:1 significantly influenced emergence and elongation of seedlings of both varieties. Biomass allocation was affected by VC amendments for two varieties in seedling stage and one field-grown tomato variety. The VC amendment did not affect the phosphorous (P), Fe, and Zn contents but significantly influenced nitrogen (N), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and Mn concentrations in the shoots. The mixture of VC with RHS and CF made with the rate of 1:1:1 was found to provide optimum conditions for seedling performance of the two tomato varieties.     

EFFECTS OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS APPLICATION ON GRAIN YIELD,LEAF CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT AND SOME MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN SOYBEAN CULTIVARS

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic amendments on grain yield, leaf chlorophyll content, and some morphological characteristics of three soybean cultivars in Mazandaran province located at north of Iran in 2006. Chemical fertilizer (75 kg ha^?1 potassium sulfate and triple superphosphate), two levels of municipal solid waste, vermicompost and sewage sludge biosolid (20 and 40 Mg ha^?1) enriched with%50 chemical fertilizers needed by soil were applied to soybean cultivars (‘032’ and ‘033’ promising lines and ‘JK’ cultivar). The experiment was carried out in split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Some important plant characters such as grain yield, leaf chlorophyll content, number of branches, number of nodes on the main stem, length of internodes, stem diameter, first pod height and plant height were determined. Results showed that application of 40 Mg ha^?1 sewage sludge enriched with chemical fertilizers increased plant grain yield and stem diameter and application of 40 Mg ha^?1 vermicompost enriched with half chemical fertilizer increased the number of nodes on the main stem, significantly. The maximum length of internodes, first pod height and plant height were obtained when the 40 Mg ha^?1 sewage sludge and vermicompost enriched with half chemical fertilizer in ‘032’ line was used. Biomass, number of branches, stem diameter, number of nodes on the main stem of soybean cultivars had a positive and significant correlation with grain yield.     

Impact of integrated management of nitrogen fertilizers on yield and nutritional quality of potato

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different compositions of nitrogen (N) sources on yield and nutritional quality in potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.). The experiment used a factorial arrangement as two factors in randomized complete block design. Factor (A) was nitrogen sources: control, 75% M?+?25%V, 50% M?+?50%V, 100% M, where M plots received nitrogen from mineral fertilizer and V plots received nitrogen from vermicompost. Factor (B) was potato cultivars (Sante and Savalan). In Sante cultivar, 75% M?+?25%V produced the highest total and marketable yield. In Savalan, cultivar application of vermicompost in 75% M?+?25%V and 50% M?+?50%V increased significantly total and marketable yield as compared with 100% M. Application of vermicompost significantly decreases tuber nitrate content and increases nitrogen-use efficiency. In Savalan, cultivar 50% V?+?50%M and in Sante cultivar 75% V?+?25%M can effectively be used for improving yield and nutritional quality of tuber.     

Influence of PGPR-enriched liquid organic fertilizers on the growth and nutrients uptake of maize under drought condition in calcareous soil

In order to study the effect of water deficit stress (WDS), plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)-enriched and non-enriched vermicompost tea(VT) and vermiwash(V) on the growth and nutrients uptakes of maize, a greenhouse experiment was conducted. The two-factor experiment was set up in a completely randomized design with three replications. The factors included: 1) liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs) with five levels (control, VT, V, vermicompost tea enriched with bacterium (VTB) and vermiwash enriched with bacterium (VB)) and 2) WDS with three levels (Field Capacity (FC), 80% FC and 60% FC(. At each irrigation interval, the volume of the used LOFs was equivalent to 60% of the volume of water required for 60% FC. At 60% FC, shoot dry matter (SDW), shoot N, P, Zn, Cu, and Fe uptake significantly decreased compared with those of FC and 80% FC, whereas shoot K uptake significantly increased. At all WDS levels, application of LOFs led to increase in SDW and shoot nutrients uptake. The highest amount of studied traits was obtained in VTB and VT treatments. Generally, VT treatments were more effective than V. Furthermore, PGPR-enriched LOFs were more effective than non-enriched ones. Application of LOFs may be considered as a practical approach for amplifying drought tolerance and reducing the risk of water scarcity in maize cultivation.     

Towards sustainable production of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) through integrated use of vermicompost and cowpea green manuring with synthetic nitrogen fertilization

A field experiment with peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) was conducted in a sandy loam (Typic ustifluvent) soil during 2007 and 2008 at Lucknow, India. Ten treatments consisting of control (no synthetic or organic nitrogen fertilization), synthetic nitrogen fertilization (SN) 75, 150 and 225 kg ha^?1 alone, vermicompost (VC) 3 t + 37.5 kg SN ha^?1, VC 6 t + 75 kg SN ha^?1 and VC 9 t + 112.5 kg SN ha^?1 and intercropping of one, two and three rows of cowpea for green manuring in combination with 50, 100 and 150 kg SN ha^?1, respectively, were evaluated in a randomized block design. Integrated use of VC 9 t with 112.5 kg SN ha^?1 produced maximum essential oil (94.3 kg ha^?1), increased the herb and essential oil yields by 104 and 89%, respectively, over control and reduced SN use by 50%, without affecting the quality of essential oil. Application of VC and intercropping of cowpea for green manuring significantly improved the organic carbon, available N, P and K content in soil over SN alone. To get sustainable production of peppermint, application of VC 9 t ha^?1 along with 112.5 kg N ha^?1 through synthetic fertilizer is recommended for light textured sandy loam soils.     

蚓粪复合基质对康乃馨育苗及其生长的影响

以蚓粪、椰糠、泥炭、珍珠岩、蛭石为原料,按不同比例混合,研究其对康乃馨出苗率、株高、茎粗、叶长、叶片数、分支数、地上部干重、地下部干重、根冠比、壮苗指数等生长指标的影响,筛选出最佳基质配方.结果表明:椰糠和蚯蚓粪明显地促进康乃馨的生长发育,以60％蚓粪+10％椰糠+30％混合矿物(珍珠岩:蛭石=1∶1)处理综合效果最理想,最有利于康乃馨形成壮苗.所得到的复合基质的容重、总孔隙度、毛管持水量、通气孔隙度和pH均符合育苗基质的要求.     

樱桃栽培中施用蚯蚓粪对土壤有机碳氧化稳定性及碳库管理指数的影响

[目的]探讨樱桃栽培中蚯蚓粪与化肥以不同比例配施对土壤有机碳、易氧化碳、氧化稳定性及碳库管理指数的影响,为提高土壤质量管理和增强农业固碳减排潜力提供依据。[方法]通过5a的大田试验,研究N100(尿素提供100%的氮),M10N90(蚯蚓粪和尿素分别提供10%和90%的氮),M30N70(蚯蚓粪和尿素分别提供30%和70%的氮)和M50N50(蚯蚓粪和尿素各提供50%的氮)等不同施肥处理对土壤有机碳(SOC)、微生物量碳(MBC)、易氧化碳(ROC)含量、有机碳氧化稳定性及碳库管理指数(CPMI)的影响。[结果]M30N70和M50N50处理的SOC含量分别比N100处理高出12.07%和18.75%;M30N70处理的MBC,ROC含量和CPMI均最高,并显著高于其它处理,其中ROC含量分别比N100,M10N90和M50N50处理提高51.34%,15.16%和6.47%,CPMI分别高出73.07,30.06和20.71;但M30N70处理的有机碳氧化稳定系数明显低于其他处理,比N100处理降低36.22%。[结论]在樱桃栽培中配施蚯蚓粪措施有利于改善土壤质量,提高土壤肥力,其中蚯蚓粪与化肥以3∶7比例搭配的影响作用最显著。     

蚯蚓粪基质及肥料添加量对茄子穴盘育苗影响的试验研究

将蚯蚓粪和蛭石按2∶1(v/v)的比例组成复合基质，然后添加不同数量的CO(NH₂)₂和KNO₃，用于茄子穴盘育苗。结果表明：通过添加适量的肥料，可以明显提高复合基质的EC值，改善茄子的出苗率、幼苗叶片叶绿素含量和净光合速率，显著促进幼苗植株的生长发育。根据壮苗指数，筛选出最佳肥料添加量是CO(NH₂)₂ 0.2 kg/m³和KNO_{3 0.4 kg/m³。研究结果为利用蚯蚓粪替代草炭培育茄子健壮穴盘苗提供了科学施肥依据。}     

Vermicompost and Gypsum Amendments Improve Aggregate Formation in Bauxite Residue

Improving aggregate formation and stability of bauxite residue is essential for the development of a soil on the residue. Effects of gypsum and vermicompost on related chemical and physical conditions of bauxite residue were studied in a laboratory incubation experiment. The addition of gypsum at 2% and 4% w/w reduced pH and exchangeable sodium percentage while increasing exchangeable calcium content. The addition of vermicompost reduced bulk density while significantly increasing porosity and total organic carbon. Vermicompost had a positive effect on the formation and stabilization of water‐stable aggregates in the residue, while gypsum was more beneficial to silt‐sized microaggregate flocculation. Amendments also enhanced the erosion resistance of bauxite residue. Furthermore, wet sieving using the modified Le Bissonnais' method revealed that in comparison with differential clay swelling and mechanical breakdown, slaking was the major disaggregation mechanism of residue aggregates. The combination of gypsum and vermicompost converted the residue from a sheet‐like structure to a granular macroaggregated structure while converting microaggregates from a grain to a granular or prismatic structure. The findings of this work suggest that application of gypsum and vermicompost to bauxite residue may directly influence aggregate size distribution and its micromorphology, resulting in the improvement of both aggregate stability and structure. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.