The effect of foliar application of vermicompost tea on morphological traits of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L.)

Because of the importance of medicinal plants cultivation with organic manner and the advantages of biological fertilizers, the experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications in pot condition using three times at 10 days interval with foliar application of concentrations of 25, 50 and 100% vermicompost tea. Two weeks after the last spraying, canopy diameter, plant height, crown diameter, root length, node number, distance between the first node from the crown, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, leaf fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, plant fresh weight, leaf dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and plant dry weight were measured. The growth indices increased with increasing of concentration of vermicompost tea so that vermicompost tea 50% showed higher plant height, leaf number and plant dry weight. Vermicompost tea 100% treatment was the highest amount of root length, width and height of the leaf, stem fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight. Vermicompost tea may have a positive effect on growth indices related to the ability of nitrogen uptake by plants or growth hormones effect of earthworms on vermicompost tea. Given the pace of the transfer of nutrients from the leaves to the different plant parts, spraying bio- fertilizers alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers can education in the cultivation of medicinal plants recommended less use of chemicals occurs, have a positive effect.