Effects of Vermi compost and Compost tea Application on the Growth criteria of Corn (Zea mays)

Maize (Zea mays) is a cereal crop that is grown widely throughout the world in a range of agroecological environments. .Its value as a cost-effective ruminant feed is one of the main reasons that farmers grow it. However, lack of nutrients such as N and P, are the principal obstacles - to crop production under low input agricultural systems leading to dependency on chemical fertilizers. Long-term use of chemical fertilizers destroy soil physicochemical properties and it reduced permeability which restricts root growth, nutrient uptake and plant production. Therefore, the use of organic fertilizers can help to enrich the soil root zone As a result growth and yield will improve.
In order to study the effects of different levels of vermicompost and foliar application of tea compost on growth characteristics of the hybrid maize genotype 713, a greenhouse experiment was conducted as a factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications at the Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, during 2013. Treatments were included vermicompost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% pot weight) and tea composts (foliar application, non-foliar application). Measured traits were included root dry weight, root volume, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, macro nutrient concentration (N and P) and micro nutrient concentration (Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu). All the data were subjected to the statistical analysis (two-way ANOVA) using SAS software (SAS 9.1.3). Differences between the treatments were performed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at 1% confidence interval.
Results indicated that leaf and stem dry weight affected by the application of vermicompost and tea compost. However, the interaction effects had no significant effects on the leaf and stem dry weight. Application of tea compost increased 20% and 50% leaf dry weight and stem dry weight of corn compared to non- foliar application, respectively. The highest leaf dry weight and stem dry weight observed at 25% pot weight vermi compost, and lowest leaf and stem dry weight observed in control. Root volume and root dry weight affected by the interaction effects of vermi compost and tea composts. The highest root dry weight and root volume observed in 30% weight in non-foliar application condition. The highest root dry weight and root volume observed in 15% pot weight in tea compost application condition. It is also resulted that Fe concentration of shoot had affected by the application of tea compost, and using vermi compost affected the concentration of Zn, Fe and N in shoot. Application of tea compost increased 15% Fe concentration of shoot compared to non- foliar application. Using vermi compost of 30, 30 and 15% per pot weight increased concentration of Fe, N and Zn of corn shoot, respectively.
Result indicated that Mn, Cu and P concentration of corn shoot affected by interaction effects of vermicompost tea compost. It is also resulted that the highest concentration of Mn, and Cu observed in 15% pot weight in tea compost application condition and the highest concentration of P observed in 5% pot weight in tea compost application.
Nutrient contents of vermicompost and tea compost are comparable with other organic fertilizers. Totally, it seems that using tea compost foliar application due to bioavailability nutrient could decrease the amount of vermicompost application.