Veg. Sci.

37(1-2) : 181-183 (2010)

EFFECT OF VERMICOMPOST ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF KHARIF SEASON OKRA

(ABELMOCHUS ESCULANTUS (L) MOENCH)
TR SHARMA, AK PANDEY, SD UPDHYAYA AND SB AGRAWAL
Jawaharla Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur-482 004

Summary
A field experiment was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm, JNKVV, Jabalpur during Kharif season of 2005 and 2006 to
assess the effects of vermicompost on the performance uder different fertility levels on okra. Trial consisted of sixteen
treatments combinations of four does of vermicompost (V01 : without vermicompost, V1: 3, V2 :4 and V3 : 5 t ha-1 ) and four
levels of fertility (F0 : without fertilizer, F1: 40:30:30, F2: 60:45:45 and F3: 80:60:60 kg NPK ha-1 ). It may be published after
incorporating corrections. Study revealed the highest plant height (97.7cm), nodes per plant(14), fruit diameter(5.7cm) and
fruit yield (73.8q/ha) as well as the protein content (18.5%) was recorded with fertility level of 80:60:60 kg NPK/ ha. This
treatment also fetched net return of Rs. 46152 ha-1 and gave benefit cost ration of 2.68. incorporation of vermicompost 5 t ha-
1
also recorded significantly higher values of yield attributes, fruit yield (69.2/ha) and protein content(18.0%) as well as B:C
ratio (2.11)with net return of Rs. 35614 ha-1 . Application of vermicompost 5 t ha-1 proved equally good to recommended dose
of fertilizes i.e. 80:60:60 kg NPK ha-1 .

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Introduction Materials and Methods

The indiscriminate use of fertilizers in crops leads to A field experiment was conducted at Vegetable
nutrients imbalance in soil and showed detrimental Research Farm, JNKVV, Jabalpur during kharif season
effects on soil health. Now-a- days, it is being realized of 2004 and 2006 in a randomized block desgn having
that organic manures is an economic source of three replications. The soil of the experimental field
nutrients that may help to curtail the use of inorganic was sandy loam which was neutral in reaction (7.25
fertilizers in agriculture. It plays a significant role in pH), low inorganic carbon(0.41%), mediumin
creating favourable environment to the micro flora. available nitrogen(234.8 kg ha-1 ), phosphorous (12.6
The vermicompost is an ideal organic source of kg ha-1) and potassi9um (335.4 kg ha-1) .There were
nutrient as it is rich in macro and micro nutrients and sixteen treatment combinations comprising of four
may use to harvest more biomass for various vegetable doses of vermicompost (V01: without vermicompost,
and field crops (Hidalgo, 1999; Pahsanasi et al., 1996). V1 : 3, V2 : 4 and V3 : 5 t ha-1) and four levels of fertility
Therefore, it is necessary to explore the potential of (F0 : without fertilizer, F1 : 40:30:30, F2 : 60:45:45 and
vermicompost and possibility of supplementing F3 : 80:60: kg NPK ha-1 ). Vermicompost contained 1.5,
chemical fertilizers. So far, vey little work has been 1.2, and 1.2 per cent N, P2 O5, K2 O, respectively. The
done on fulfillment of nutritional requirement of okra full dose of phosphorous and potassium as well as
through vermicompost. Therefore, present experiment vemicompost was applied as basal as per treatments .
was conducted to study the effect of vermicompost The nitrogen was given in three split doses, 1/3rd as
alone and different combinations of recommendation basal, and remaining 2/3rd in two equal split doses at
dose of fertilizers on yield and quality of okra. 30 and 45 DAS. The recommended agronomic
182 SHARMA ET AL.

practices were followed to grow successful crop root for the nutrients. These findings are in close
during both the years. Seeds of variety parbhani Kranti conformity with the findings of Bhawalkar(1992).
were sown at 30x10 cm apart in rows using seed rate
Effect of levels: The various fertility levels also had
of 12 kg ha-1 on 8th and 5th July during 2005 and 2006,
significant effect on growth traits and yield of fruit as
respectively. The data pertaining to plant height,
well as quality. The plant height increases with each
number of nodes, number of fruits/ plant , fruit length,
increasing level of fertility and maximum plant height
thickness as well as yield was recorded at each and
of 101.4 cm was noted under 80:60:60 kg NPK ha-1 ,
every picking. Nutrients uptake were completed on
while the lowest was (61.2 cm) under control. The
the basis of concertration of nutrients and dry matter
maximum nodes (14.7) and length of root (47.8 cm
accumulation. Protein content and yield kg ha-1 were
plant-1) were noted with 80:60:60 kg NPK ha-1 and
worked out by multiplying N content with constant
proved significantly superior over 40:30:30 kg NPK
factor of 6.25. Economics of different treatments were
ha-1 and control as well, but not over 60:45:45.
computed on the basis of prevailing market price of
produce and agro inputs used. The yield attributing traits in relation to number of fruits,
fruit length the fruit thicknesses as well as total yield
Resuluts and Discussion significantly increased with increases in dose of
Effect of vermicompost: Growth parameters significantly fertilizer and the maximum values were recorded by
influenced by various doses of vermicompost (Table1). applying 80:60:60 kg NPK ha -1 . However, the
The maximum plant height , number of nodes plant-1 and
length of root, fruit length, thickenss, numbers of fruit Table 1. Effect of vermicompost and fertility levels on
plnat-1 were recorded with vermicompost 5 t ha-1 and characteristics of okra during Kharif (Pooled over 2005-06)
Treatment Plant Root Number Number Fruit Fruit Number
proved significantly superior over rest of the doses, but combinations height length of of length thickness of
found at per with 4 t ha-1 in case of number of nodes and (cm) (cm) nodes fruit (cm) (cm) pickings
plant-1 plant-1
root length plant-1. Application of 5 t vermicompost ha-1 F0 : No. fertilizer 61.2 29.0 9.2 6.0 7.1 4.7 9.5
also proved significantly superior over rest of doses with F1 : 40:30:30 74.1 41.0 10.7 8.3 8.7 5.7 12.5
NPK kg ha-1
respect to fruit yield (76.7 q ha-1). Vermicompost at 3 t F2 : 60:45:45 91.5 45.6 13.0 10.9 10.1 5.8 16.0
ha-1 did not show any significant response over without NPK kg ha-1
F3 : 80:60:60 101.4 47.8 14.7 12.9 11.0 6.0 18.5
vermicompost but the variation between 3 and 4 t per NPK kg ha-1
ha vermicompost fount significant in relation to fruit yield. CD (P=0.05) 2.60 5.13 2.25 1.21 1.41 0.66 1.99
V0: No. 74.4 27.8 8.9 7.1 6.7 4.7 10
The beneficial effect of vermicompost have also been Vermicompost
noted on growth and production of plant by Masciandaro V1: 80.1 42.2 11.1 9.7 8.7 5.3 12
Vermicompost
et al.,(1999) as vermicompost contain several bio-humic 3 t ha-1
substances and number of hormones like, auxins and V2 : 84.6 44.6 13.3 10.2 10.3 5.9 17
Vermicompost
cytokinins. These substance may promote the growth, 4 t ha-1
induction of flowers, and formation of lateral roots which V3 : 89.3 48.8 14.4 11.0 11.3 6.3 18
Vermicompost
enhanced the uptake nutrients by the crop plants ( Shroff 5 t ha-1
and Devasthali, 1992). CD (P=0.05) 2.60 5.13 2.25 1.21 1.41 0.66 1.99
F0 V0 52.6 23.5 7.0 5.5 4.9 3.6 6.3
Application of vermicompost 5 t ha-1 increased the F0 V1 58.9 28.1 8.5 5.9 5.8 4.3 8.5
F0 V2 62.0 30.2 10.9 6.4 7.8 4.7 9.6
concentration of N, P and K nutrients infruits. The
F0 V3 64.7 34.2 11.6 6.6 8.2 5.8 9.6
protein content as well as yield were increased due to F1 V0 65.4 27.5 8.1 6.1 6.2 4.4 7.9
addition of vermicompost however the difference F1 V1 68.5 39.4 10.4 7.4 7.6 5.1 10.0
F1 V2 74.2 46.5 11.5 8.8 9.0 5.8 12.3
between two closer doses were found at per. F1 V3 79.6 49.3 13.3 9.3 10.5 6.2 12.9
Moreover, all the doses were proved significantly F2 V0 84.7 29.5 9.9 7.5 6.6 4.7 8.6
F2 V1 88.3 47.4 10.8 9.9 8.9 5.4 10.8
superior over control and highest dose of vermicompost
F2 V2 90.7 47.8 13.8 10.6 11.0 6.0 15.9
5 t ha-1 proved the best and recorded 2.95, 0.59, 3.94 F2 V3 94.5 53.2 16.9 12.6 12.1 6.6 17.7
and 18.5 per cent N,P,K and protein content in fruits F3 V0 93.7 31.1 12.2 9.1 7.8 5.5 13.2
F3 V1 98.6 51.5 13.7 13.1 10.5 5.9 14.7
respectively. This may be ascribed due to the increased F3 V2 101.2 52.3 15.8 13.8 11.4 6.2 18.3
availability of nutrient in soil and proliferated root F3 V3 104.5 53.4 15.8 13.8 12.4 6.0 19.1
CD (P=0.05) 5.21 NS NS NS NS NS NS
system, which enhanced the absorption capacity of
 EFFECT OF VERMICOMPOST ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF KHARIF SEASON OKRA 183

difference between 40:30:30 and 60:45:45 kg NPK more demand of assimilates which consequently lead
ha-1 was found at per with respect to length and to greater length, thickness and biomassas reported
thickness of fruit. Increasing fertility level significantly by Mani et al.(1999).
increased the yield and each level recorded 6.5,25.9
Net return: Perusal of data (Table-1) data exhibited
and 23.2 % higher yield over their preceding level.
that vermicompost and fertilizers doses both had
Improvement in growth and root dry matter
marked effect on net return and per rupee investment
accumulation in okra plants in above treatment might
with the progressive increase in doses of vermicompost
be due to application of balance fertilization, which
and chemical fertilizers. The highest dose of
build-upthe adequate food reserves for formation and
vermicompost (5 t ha-1) fetched net return of Rs 35614
elongation of cells, and fenhanced the photosynthetic
ha-1 with benefit cost ratio of 1.95. Moreover, the
activity by icreasing the leaf area and rate of
control plot gave maximum benefit cost ratio of 2.34
photyosynthesis. The systhesised photosynthates
and seems to be better in terms of cost benefit ratio
might have translocated to in the growing gruits having
over, others, but net return was lowest as compared
to 3, 4 and 5 tones vermicompost ha-1. The highest
Table 2 Effect of fertility levels and doses of vermicompost benefit cost ratio with use of vermicompost and control
on yield of okra during Kharif (Pooled over 2005-06) was also reported by Pandey et al.(2006).The
Treatement Yield Dry matter Nutrient Protein Cost of Net B: C
Combinations q ha- accumulation contains in content cultivation return ratio
maximum net return (RS. 40712 ha-1) and benefit cost
1
(q ha-1 ) fruits (%) in fruit Rs. Ha -1
[Link]- ratio of 2.49 were recorded under highest fertility level
1
(%)
N P K of 80:60:60 kg NPK ha-1. The interaction effect
F0 : No. 49.0 22.9 2.46 0.42 3.38 15.4 13805 20476 1.47
fertilizer between fertility levels of 80:60:60 kg NPL ha-1 and
F1 : 40:30:30 53.2 31.8 2.68 0.51 3.66 16.8 15063 23140 1.53 vermicompost 5 t ha-1 was found non-significant with
NPK kg ha-1
F2 : 60:45:45 67.0 37.2 2.89 0.55 3.85 18.1 15697 32414 2.04 respect to fruit yield. The yield was further enhanced
NPK kg ha-1 significantly over the separate application of each
F3 : 80:60:60 82.6 41.2 3.05 0.59 4.04 19.1 16331 40712 2.48
NPK kg ha-1 treatment. Thus, the net return and cost benefit ratio
CD (P=0.05) 4.30 2.41 0.36 0.09 NS 1.38 were increased accordingly.
V0: No. 54.2 29.1 2.45 0.43 3.36 15.3 10732 25151 2.33
Vermicompost Reference
V1: 58.1 33.6 2.80 0.51 3.74 17.5 15222 25391 1.66
Vermicompost Bhawalkar VS (1992). Chemical farming to natural farming. A
3 t ha-1
quick changeover without loss of yield. In : Proc of Nat
V2 : 67.1 34.3 2.88 0.54 3.87 18.0 16722 30584 1.81
Vermicompost Sem. On Natural farming, Somani LL, Totawat KL and Baser
4 t ha-1 BL (Eds.), pp. 79-88
V3 : 76.7 36.1 2.95 0.59 3.94 18.5 18222 35614 1.94
Pandey AK, Gopinath KA, Chattacharya P, Hooda KS, Sushil SN,
Vermicompost
5 t ha-1 Kundu S, Selvakumar G and Gupta HS (2006). Effect of
CD (P=0.05) 4.30 2.41 0.36 0.09 NS 1.38 sources and rate of organic manures on yield attributes,
F0 V0 41.6 19.20 2.01 0.32 3.04 12.6 9335 17955 1.92 pod yield and economics of organic garden pea (Pisum
F0 V1 48.5 23.15 2.43 0.43 3.34 15.7 13795 21146 1.52 sativum sub sp hortence) in north west Himalaya. Indian J.
F0 V2 50.8 23.50 2.63 0.47 3.51 16.4 15295 21636 1.40 Agric. Sci. 76(4): 230-4.
F0 V3 52.0 25.70 2.69 0.49 3.62 16.8 16795 21166 1.25
F1 V0 44.1 24.30 2.84 0.43 3.38 14.6 10563 19258 1.83 Hiedalgo P (1999). Earthworm castings increase germination rate
F1 V1 49.7 32.70 2.72 0.49 3.69 17.0 15063 20248 1.33 and seedling development of cucumber. Mississippi and
F1 V2 57.8 34.30 2.78 0.55 3.74 17.4 16563 26388 1.58 Farestry Experiment Station, Research Report 22: on. 6.
F1 V3 60.9 35.85 2.88 0.59 3.81 18.0 18063 26668 1.47
F2 V0 52.0 34.25 2.59 0.46 3.49 16.2 11197 25864 2.34
Masciandaro G, Cecconti B And Garcia C (1999). Soil agro
F2 V1 55.5 37.30 2.89 0.54 3.89 18.1 15697 24224 1.53 ecological managemetn: fertigation and vermocompost
F2 V2 68.1 37.60 2.98 0.57 4.01 18.7 17197 32594 1.89 treatments. Biores Technol. 59: 206.
F2 V3 88.3 39.70 3.09 0.62 4.11 19.4 18697 46614 2.47 Pashanasi B, Lavelle P, Alegre J and Charpentier F (1996). Effect
F3 V0 65.7 38.65 2.87 0.50 3.55 17.9 11831 37530 3.15
of the endogeic earthworm, pontoscolex corethrurusbon
F3 V1 73.3 41.25 3.08 0.58 4.10 19.2 16331 35950 2.19
F3 V2 80.6 41.90 3.11 0.60 4.18 19.5 17831 41360 2.30
soil chemical characterstics and plant growth in a low-
F3 V3 91.0 43.10 3.14 0.66 4.25 19.6 19331 48010 2.47 input tropical agroecosystem. Soil Biol.& Bioch. 28: 801-
CD (P=0.05) 8.64 4.82 NS 0.18 NS NS - - - 808.
Cost of treatment input (Rs kg-1) : Nitrogen = 1097, Phos- Shroff VN and Devasthali S (1992). Earthwarm Forming-scope
phorous = 20.00, Potassium =7.67 and Vermicompost and limitations. Proceedings of national Seminar on Natural
=1.50 Sale price of produce (Rs kg-1) : Kharit 2005= 6.00, Farming. L>L. Somani, K.L. Totwat and B.L. Baser (Eds.) pp
126-142.
and Kharit 2006= 8.00