Effects of Vermi-compost Fertilizer Application and Foliar Spraying on Yield and Yield Component of Isabgol (Plantago ovate L.) Medicinal Plant

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

• Asghar Rahimi
• ali akbar pour mohamadi

vali asr rafsanjan

10.22067/jag.v9i3.55282

Abstract

Introduction
Vermi-compost is the ability of some species of earthworms to consume and break down a wide range of organic residues such as sewage sludge, animal wastes, crop residues and industrial refuse. Vermi-composts are usually more stable than their parent materials with increased availability of nutrients and improved physicochemical and microbiological properties. Aerial compost tea contains high populations of live microorganism consisting of rhizobactria, trichoderma and pseudomonas species which increase the growth and yield of the plant. Acid humic is the main humic substance and the important ingredient of soil organic matter (humus) which causes increase of yield and quality of crop. The aim of this research is evaluating the effect of vermi-compost and foliar application of compost tea and acid humic on yield, yield component and mucilage content of isabgol. Vermiwash as the extract of vermi-compost is liquid organic fertilizer obtained from unit of vermiculture and vermi-compost as drainage. It is used as a foliar spraying on the leaf. Vermiwash stimulate and increase the yield of crop products and foliar application of vermiwash can be caused of plant resistance to different factors and can prevent leaf necrosis.
Material and Methods
In order to study the effect of vermi-compost and foliar application of tea compost and acid humic on growth indices of isabgol (Plantago ovata), an experiment was conducted as a factorial based on complete randomized design with three replications in agricultural research farm at Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. Treatments were included application of vermi-compost (0 (control), 4, 8, 12 and 16 t.ha-1) and 3 levels of foliar application (distilled water as control, acid humic and compost tea). Samples for evaluating of yield, yield components and mucilage content were taken from 1 m2 area of each treatment. Tea compost solution prepared using mix of vermi-compost, acid humic, yeast and alga extract which were soaked in water for 24 hours under aerated condition using air pump. For preparation of tea compost, 500 g of vermi-compost, 25 cc humic acid, 5 g yeast, 25 cc seaweed extract, 25 cc sugar beet molasses were hanging in a fine lace fabric in 50-liter plastic water container for 24 hours while the air was flowing to container and the liquid extract separated as compost tea with fine lace fabric.
Results and Discussion
Analyze of variance showed that the effect of different levels of vermi-compost and foliar application on the spike number, mucilage yield and seed yield were significant but their interaction have no significant effect. Seed number, mucilage percent and SPAD number significantly affected by foliar application treatments but the vermi-compost treatments and their interactions had no significant effect on them. Also different levels of vermi-compost, foliar application and their interaction have significantly effect on leaf area and dry weight. Vermi-compost have available plant nutrient solution which increase leaf area indices compared with none use vermi-compost treatment. Arancon et al. (2004) reported that using 5 and 10 t.ha-1 vermi-compost significantly increased leaf area and shoot dry matter in strawberry.
Conclusion
The results of this research showed that the highest dry weight, spike number, harvest index, mucilage yield and seed yield observed in 16 t.ha-1 application of vermi-compost whit no significant difference related to 8 and 12 t.ha-1 vermi-compost. It is also resulted that foliar application of tea compost significantly affected SPAD, leaf area, shoot dry weight, spike number, seed and mucilage yield. Totally, it seems that using biological fertilizer (vermi-compost) in amount of 8 t.ha-1 with foliar application of tea compost economically would be suitable for increasing seed yield and yield component of isabgol.

Keywords

• Inflation factor
• Harvest index
• Mucilage
• SPAD

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