Evaluation of different organic waste materials for preparing vermicompost and their effect on maize productivity
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Date
2022
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study entitled “Evaluation of different organic waste materials for preparing vermicompost and their effect on maize productivity” was carried out at the Integrated Farming System Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during the Kharif season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 on loamy sand soil. To find out the best treatment for vermicompost preparation, different waste materials like paddy straw, neem leaves and dhaincha leaves were used for the preparation of vermicompost, and their combinations with cow dung are {Paddy Straw + Cow dung (1:1)}, {Neem leaves + Cow dung (1:1)}, {Dhaincha leaves + Cow dung (1:1)} and {Cow Dung (100%)}. After the pre-decomposition period, 1 kg earthworms were inoculated in all treatments except FYM treatment (control) and their quality was evaluated. Neem leaves vermicompost took lesser days for its preparation i.e. 52 days and among all the treatments neem leaves were considered to be the favorite food for the earthworms. The physical, chemical and biological analysis of vermicompost revealed that the best vermicompost in terms of nutrient content was dhaincha leaves vermicompost > neem leaves vermicompost > paddy straw vermicompost > cow dung vermicompost > FYM. The prepared vermicompost from different organic wastes were further used for field studies with maize as test crop in Kharif season (2019-20 and 2020-21) to understand the mineralization of nutrients from vermicompost and its effect on productivity and soil properties. The significant increase was recorded in growth and yield parameters with the integrated nutrient management treatment (RDF+FYM) followed by RDF, different vermicompost treatments and control during the first year whereas comparing the vermicompost treatments with integrated nutrient management and RDF treatments, the difference in maize attributes was comparatively decreased during second year. The soil chemical properties showed no significant difference in the initial year whereas in the second year small improvements were recorded in organic carbon, macro- and micronutrients concentration with neem leaves vermicompost and dhaincha leaves vermicompost in comparison to integrated nutrient management, RDF and control treatments. The results can be significant in the later years as organic amendments being slow release fertilizers takes time in improving soil properties and hence yield response. Because the initial organic carbon and nutrient content of the soil was recorded to be low, therefore, it takes almost three to four years for positive response of soil to the applied organic amendments. The result of vermicompost application can be recorded higher in terms of improvement in yield and soil properties in the later years.
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Bal, Karanbir Kaur (2022). Evaluation of different organic waste materials for preparing vermicompost and their effect on maize productivity (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.