Effects of Vermi compost and Compost tea Application on the Growth criteria of Corn (Zea mays)

پژوهشهای زراعی ایران

Article 9, Volume 14, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41, April 2016, Pages 185-199   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/gsc.v14i1.37358

Authors

R Afsharmanesh^* ; A Rahimi; B Torabi; A Akhgar

Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan

Abstract

Introduction
Maize (Zea mays) is a cereal crop that is grown widely throughout the world in a range of agroecological environments. .Its value as a cost-effective ruminant feed is one of the main reasons that farmers grow it. However, lack of nutrients such as N and P, are the principal obstacles - to crop production under low input agricultural systems leading to dependency on chemical fertilizers. Long-term use of chemical fertilizers destroy soil physicochemical properties and it reduced permeability which restricts root growth, nutrient uptake and plant production. Therefore, the use of organic fertilizers can help to enrich the soil root zone As a result growth and yield will improve.
Materials and Methods
In order to study the effects of different levels of vermicompost and foliar application of tea compost on growth characteristics of the hybrid maize genotype 713, a greenhouse experiment was conducted as a factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications at the Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, during 2013. Treatments were included vermicompost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% pot weight) and tea composts (foliar application, non-foliar application). Measured traits were included root dry weight, root volume, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, macro nutrient concentration (N and P) and micro nutrient concentration (Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu). All the data were subjected to the statistical analysis (two-way ANOVA) using SAS software (SAS 9.1.3). Differences between the treatments were performed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at 1% confidence interval.
Results and Discussion
Results indicated that leaf and stem dry weight affected by the application of vermicompost and tea compost. However, the interaction effects had no significant effects on the leaf and stem dry weight. Application of tea compost increased 20% and 50% leaf dry weight and stem dry weight of corn compared to non- foliar application, respectively. The highest leaf dry weight and stem dry weight observed at 25% pot weight vermi compost, and lowest leaf and stem dry weight observed in control. Root volume and root dry weight affected by the interaction effects of vermi compost and tea composts. The highest root dry weight and root volume observed in 30% weight in non-foliar application condition. The highest root dry weight and root volume observed in 15% pot weight in tea compost application condition. It is also resulted that Fe concentration of shoot had affected by the application of tea compost, and using vermi compost affected the concentration of Zn, Fe and N in shoot. Application of tea compost increased 15% Fe concentration of shoot compared to non- foliar application. Using vermi compost of 30, 30 and 15% per pot weight increased concentration of Fe, N and Zn of corn shoot, respectively.
Result indicated that Mn, Cu and P concentration of corn shoot affected by interaction effects of vermicompost tea compost. It is also resulted that the highest concentration of Mn, and Cu observed in 15% pot weight in tea compost application condition and the highest concentration of P observed in 5% pot weight in tea compost application.
Conclusions
Nutrient contents of vermicompost and tea compost are comparable with other organic fertilizers. Totally, it seems that using tea compost foliar application due to bioavailability nutrient could decrease the amount of vermicompost application.

Keywords

leaf dry weight; Macro nutrient; Micro nutrient; Root volume; Stem dry weight

References

1. Abrishamchi, P., Ganjali, A., Beikkhurmizi, A., and Avan, A. 2014. Effect of vermicompost on germination and seedling growth of varieties mobile and superorbina tomato. Journal of Horticulture Science 27 (4): 383-393. (in Persian with English abstract).

2. Ahmadabadi, Z., Ghajar Sepanlou, M., and Bahmanyar, M. A. 2011. Effect of vermicompost application on amount of micro elements in soil and the content in the medicinal plant of Borage (Borago officinalis). Journal of Crop Improvement 13 (2): 1-12. (in Persian with English abstract).

3. Atiyeh, R., Arancon, N., Edwards, C., and Metzger, J. 2000. Influence of earthworm-processed pig manure on the growth and yield of greenhouse tomatoes. Bioresource Technology 75: 175-180.

4. Atiyeh, R., Lee, S., Edwards, C., Arancon, N., and Metzger, J. 2002. The influence of humic acids derived from earthworm-processed organic wastes on plant growth. Bioresource Technology 84: 7-14.

5. Bachman, G., and Metzger, J. 2008. Growth of bedding plants in commercial potting substrate amended with vermicompost. Bioresource Technology 99: 3155-3161.

6. Bess, V. H. 2000. Understanding compost tea. Biocycle 41: 71-72.

7. Bremner, J. 1965. Total nitrogen. Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties 1149-1178.

8. Carlos, G. G. R., Dendooven, L., and Antonio, G. M. F. 2008. Vermicomposting leachate (worm tea) as liquid fertilizer for maize (Zea mays L.) forage production. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences 7 (4): 360-367.

9. Cavender, N. D., Atiyeh, R. M., and Knee, M. 2003. Vermicompost stimulates mycorrhizal colonization of roots of Sorghum bicolor L. at the expense of plant growth. Pedobiologia 47: 85-89.

10. Edwards, C. A., Arancon, N. O., and Greytak, S. 2006. Effects of vermcompost teas on plant growth and disease. Biocycle 47: 28-31.

11. Gutierrez-Miceli, F., Moguel-Zamudio, B., Abud-Archila, M., Gutierrez-Oliva, V., and Dendooven, L. 2008a. Sheep manure vermicompost supplemented with a native diazotrophic bacteria and mycorrhizas for maize cultivation. Bioresource Technology 99: 7020-7026.

12. Hameeda, B., Harini, G., Rupela, O., and Reddy, G. 2007. Effect of composts or vermicomposts on sorghum growth and mycorrhizal colonization. African Journal of Biotechnology 6: 9-12.

13. Hashemimajd, K., Kalbasi, M., Golchin, A., and Shariatmadari, H. 2004. Comparison of vermicompost and composts as potting media for growth of tomatoes. Journal of plant Nutrition, 27: 1107-1123.

14. Kazemi Arbat, H. 2007. The Cereal. Tehran university publication center, Tehran. (in Persian with English abstract).

15. Khan, M., and Scullion, J. 2002. Effects of metal (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb or Zn) enrichment of sewage-sludge on soil micro-organisms and their activities. Applied Soil Ecology 20: 145-155.

16. Kumari, M., and Ushakumari, K. 2002. Effect of vermicompost enriched with rock phosphate on the yield and uptake of nutrients in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). Journal of Tropical Agricalture 40: 27-30.

17. Malathesh, G. 2005. Nutrient substitution throught organics in maize. University of Agricultural Sciences 6: 1-131.

18. Mariotti, M., Ercoli, L., and Masoni, A. 1996. Spectral properties of iron-deficient corn and sunflower leaves. Remote Sensing of Environment 58: 282-288.

19. Manivannan, S., Batamurugan, M., Parthasarathi, K., Gunasekaran, G., and Ranganathan, L. 2009. Effect of vermicompost on soil fertility and crop productivity-beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Journal of Environmental Biology 30 (2): 275-281.

20. Pant, A. P., Radovich, T. J., Hue, N. V., Talcott, S. T., and Krenek, K. A. 2009. Vermicompost extracts influence growth, mineral nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidant activity in pak choi (Brassica rapa cv. Bonsai, Chinensis group) grown under vermicompost and chemical fertilizer. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 89: 2383-2392.

21. Pant, A. P., Radovich, T. J., Hue, N. V., and Arancon, N. 2011. Effects of vermicompost tea (aqueous extract) on pak choi yield, quality, and on soil biological properties. Compost Science and Utilization 19 (4): 279-292.

22. Pant, A. P., Radovich, T. J., Hue, N. V., and Paull, R. E. 2012. Biochemical properties of compost tea associated with compost quality and effects on pak choi growth. Scientia Horticulturale 148: 138-146.

23. Paterson, E. 2003. Importance of rhizodeposition in the coupling of plant and microbial productivity. European Journal of Soil Science 54: 741-750.

24. Peyvast, J. G., Olfati, S., and Forghani, A. 2008. Effect of vermicompost on the growth and yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment 6: 110-113.

25. Rashtbari, M., and Alikhani, H. A. 2012. Effect and efficiency of municipal solid waste compost and vermicompost on morpho-physiological properties and yield of canola under drought Stress. Journal of Agriculture and Sustainable Production 22 (2): 114-127. (in Persian with English abstract).

26. Reeve, J. R., Carpenter-Boggs, L., Reganold, J. P., York, A. L., and Brinton, W. F. 2010. Influence of biodynamic preparations on compost development and resultant compost extracts on wheat seedling growth. Bioresource Technology 101: 5658-5666.

27. Rezvantalab, N., Pirdashti, H., Bahmanyar, M. A., and Abbasyan, A. 2012. Effect of different types and amounts of organic and chemical fertilizer on content of macro elements leaf and seed corn. Research Journal of Plant Science 3: 20-30. (in Persian with English abstract).

28. Roy, S., Arunachalam, K., Dutta, B. K., and Arunachalam, A. 2010. Effect of organic amendments of soil on growth and productivity of three common crops viz Zea mays, Phaseolus vulgaris and Abelmoschus esculentus. Applied Soil Ecology 45: 78-84.

29. Sahni, S., Sarma, B., Singh, D., Singh, H., and Singh, K. 2008. Vermicompost enhances performance of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in Cicer arietinum rhizosphere against Sclerotium rolfsii. Crop Protection 27: 369-376.

30. Schmidt, U. 2003. Enhancing phytoextraction. Journal of Environmental Quality 32: 1939-1954.

31. Singh, R., Sharma, R., Kumar, S., Gupta, R., and Patil, R. 2008. Vermicompost substitution influences growth, physiological disorders, fruit yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria xananassa Duch.). Bioresource Technology 99: 8507-8511.

32. Scheuerell, S. J., and Mahaffee, W. F. 2004. Compost tea as a container medium drench for suppressing seedling damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum. Phytopathology 94: 1156-1163.

33. Shi-Wei, Z., and Fu-Zhen, H. 1991. The nitrogen uptake efficiency from 15N labeled chemical fertilizer in the presence of earthworm manure (cast). Advances in management and conservation of soil fauna. 539-542.

34. Shrestha, K., Shrestha, P., Adetutu, E. M., Walsh, K. B., Harrower, A. S., Ball, D., and Midmore, J. 2011. Changes in microbial and nutrient composition associated with rumen content compost incubation. Bioresource Technology 102: 3848-3854.

35. Shrestha, K., Shrestha, P., Walsh, K. B., Harrower, K. M., and Midmore, D. J. 2011. Microbial

enhancement of compost extracts based on cattle rumen content compost

characterisation of a system. Bioresour Technology 102: 8027-8034.

36. Tejada, M., and Gonzalez, J. 2009. Application of two vermicomposts on a rice crop: effects on soil biological properties and rice quality and yield. Agronomy Journal 101: 336-344.

37. Theunissen, J., Ndakidemi, P., and Laubscher, C. 2010. Potential of vermicompost produced from plant waste on the growth and nutrient status in vegetable production. International Journal of the Physical Sciences 5: 1964-1973.

38. Yaghtin, Sh., Moez Ardalan, M. Shorafa, M., and Alikhani, H. A. 2009. Effects of municipal compost and vermicompost on growth and nutrient uptake of corn. Journal of water and soil 19 (2): 211-213. (in Persian with English abstract).

39. Yagi, R., Ferreira, M. E., Cruz, M. C. P. D., and Barbosa, J. C. 2003. Organic matter fractions and soil fertility under the influence of liming, vermicompost and cattle manure. Scientia Agricola 60: 549-557.