Vegetable Growth Medium Components: Effects of Dairy Manure-Waste Paper Vermicomposts on Physicochemical Properties, Nutrient Uptake and Growth of Tomato Seedlings

Mupondi L.T^1*, Mnkeni P.N.S², and Muchaonyerwa P. ²

¹Zimbabwe Sugar Association Experiment Station, P.B. 7006, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe.

²Department of Agronomy, University of Fort Hare, P. B. X1514, Alice, 5700, South Africa.

Accepted May 22, 2014

A glasshouse experiment was carried out to determine the effects of amending a commercial growth medium (pine bark compost) with dairy manure-paper vermicompost (at the rates of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100% by volume) on the physicochemical properties of the medium and plant growth. The study was a 5 x 4 factorial experiment conducted in a randomized complete block design (RBD) with three replicates. Four fertilizer levels, 0, 2, 4, and 6 granules per cavity were used. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds were sown and the seedlings allowed to grow for 4 weeks. The percentage total porosity and percentage air space of pine bark compost decreased significantly following substitution with equivalent amounts of dairy manure-paper vermicomposts whereas their bulk density, particle density, container capacity, pH, electrical conductivity and available N and P levels increased. The highest biomass was obtained from pine bark composts substituted with 60% dairy manure-waste paper vermicomposts and fertilised with 6 granules of fertiliser per cavity. These results suggest that the best medium for planting tomatoes was the 60% vermicompost substitution into pine bark fertilised with 6 granules of fertiliser per cavity.

Key words: Fertilizer; growth medium; physicochemical properties; pine bark compost; plant growth; vermicompost.

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