Department of Zoology, SMS Govt. Science College, Gwalior- 474002.
Vermibiotechnology Center, School of Studies in Zoology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior- 474011.
School of Agriculture, ITM University3, Gwalior- 475001.
Vermiwash is an excellent organic liquid fertilizer which can be used as a foliar spray for protectingplants from insects and harmful diseases and in the root zone for the growth of plants. This study was conducted to find out the effect of vermicompost and vermiwash on the growth and development of leaves and shoot length of brinjal plants. Four combinations were prepared from vermicompost, vermiwash, dung and soil for comparative study. Different combinations such as soil and dung (500g+500g) as control, S+VC+VW (500g +500g+foliar spray on leaves daily not in roots), S+VC (500g+500g), S+VW (1kg+foliar spray on leaves and 200 ml in roots with water in 1:1 ratio daily) as test treatments (TR-1, TR-2 and TR-3) were made. Each treatment was carried out in triplicate to reduce the variations. Experiments were of four weeks. Mean shoot length of plants were observed 4.51±0.07 cm, 4.57±0.10 cm and 4.59±0.10 cm in TR-1, TR-2 and TR-3 treatments respectively, while in control only 4.23±0.08 cm growth was obtained. Hence it can be concluded that the effect of vermiwash and vermicompost on the growth and development of leaves and stem of brinjal plants is more significant in comparison to control (soil and dung only).
Keywords: Earthworm, Organic waste, Solanum melongena, Vermiwash, Vermicompost.