Abstract

BIOCOMPOST AS SOIL SUPPLEMENT TO IMPROVE VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOLANUM NIGRUM (L.)

G. Sakthivigneswari and *Vijayalakshmi A.

ABSTRACT

A pot culture experiment was conducted with black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) as the test crop to evaluate the influence of biocompost. Different treatments were used. C –control, T1- compost 1 (Raw corncob composted by using Pleurotus sajor-caju (5t ha-1)), T2- compost 2 (Predigested raw corncob + Eudrilus eugeniae (5t ha-1)), T3- compost 3 (Raw corncob predigested by using Pleurotus sajor-caju and Eudrilus eugeniae (5t ha-1)), T4- compost 4 (Raw coirpith composted by using Pleurotus sajor-caju (5t ha-1)), T5- compost 5 (Predigested raw coirpith + Eudrilus eugeniae (5t ha-1)) and T6- compost 6 (Raw coirpith predigested by using Pleurotus sajor-caju and Eudrilus eugeniae (5t ha-1)). Plant samples at various stages (25, 50, 75 DAS) were analyzed for shoot length, root length, number of leaves, number of flowers, number of fruits/per plant, fresh weight, dry weight. On 90th day yield parameters like number of fruits/plant, diameter of fruit, number of seeds/fruit, fruit fresh weight and fruit dry weight were analyzed. The results of the study showed that the treatment T6 and T3 significantly increased the vegetative and yield parameters of the test crop.

Keywords: C- Control, DAS- Days After Sowing Eudrilus eugeniae, Pleurotus sajorcaju, Solanum nigrum, T- Treatment.