Studies on the effect of vermiwash on the growth of Pisum sativum L. and Cicer arietinum L.

Abstract

The present work was carried out by employing Eudrilus eugineae to produce vermiwash by utilizing kitchen waste. Vermiwash collected was sprayed on to priorly germinated seeds of Pisum sativum and Cicer arietinum and planted on plastic pots containing sterilised sand and soil. The growth study was monitored for 28 days. Physiochemical characteristics and biochemical composition of soil amended with vermiwash and those deprived from vermiwash was studied by standard protocols. Soil amended with vermiwash had an alkaline pH, higher electrical conductivity and was rich in organic carbon, sodium, potassium, iron, copper and zinc. P. sativum and C. arietinum plantlets grown under vermiwash treatment showed better growth in terms of shoot and root length, internodal length, number of leaves and biomass over control. However, the root length in vermiwash amended plantlets of C. arietinum was shorter, suggesting that soil had good amount of nutrients that were easily available.