EVALUATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND PLANT GROWTH STUDIES OF VERMICOMPOST PRODUCED BY EARTHWORMS FROM SOME TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC PLANT LEAVESN.C. THARAVATHY AND AISHWARYAAbstract Vermicomposts processed from certain terrestrial (Cocosnucifera, Acacia auriculiformis and Musa paradisiaca) and aquatic (Pistia sp., Nelumbo sp. and Hydrilla sp.) plant leaves were analysed for various physico-chemical parameters like pH, electric conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), organic carbon, nitrites and total phosphorus. The range of pH in different vermicompost samples were from 6.27±0.01 (Hydrilla sp.) to 6.77±0.01 (Pistia sp.); electrical conductivity from 176±0.0μS (Musa paradisiaca) to 448±2.0μS (aquatic plant mixture); TDS from 101±0.0mg/L (Musa paradisiaca) to 312±2.0 mg/L (Pistia sp.); organic carbon from 2.20±0.0% (Acacia auriculiformis) to 4.70±0.02% (terrestrial plant mixture); nitrites from 2.40±0.01 μg/L (terrestrial plant mixture) to 5.20±0.01 μg/L (Musa paradisiaca); total phosphorous from 0.035±.0.0 mg/100g (Acacia auriculiformis) to 0.13±.0.0 mg/100g (terrestrial plant mixture). Plant growth study (mean plant height) was conducted in the seedlings of Vigna unguiculata L for each treatment. The plant height was increased significantly in the pots filled with vermicomposts of Cocosnucifera, Acacia auriculiformis, Musa paradisiaca, Hydrilla sp., terrestrial plant mixture and aquatic plant mixture. It was inhibited and not significant in the pots filled with vermicomposts of Pistia sp. and Nelumbo sp. It can be summarized that for Vigna unguiculata L, the best growth substrate regarding plant height is vermicompost prepared from leaf materials of Hydrilla sp. followed by Cocosnucifera. |