Effect of Sugarcane Vermicompost and Foliar Application of Spirulina Microalgae Extract on Growth and Yield of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Plant nutrition management and soil fertility are among factors that determine crop productivity and sustainability under agro-ecosystems conditions. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of vermicompost provided from sugarcane bagasse and foliar application of microalgae extract of Spirulina on growth parameters, grain yield and yield attributes of rapeseed. The experiment was a factorial combination of Spirulina extract and bagasse vermicompost arranged in a complete randomized block design with four replications. Plants were foliar sprayed with three different concentrations of Spirulina extract (i.e., 0, 2, 4, and 6 %v/v) and application of five vermicompost mixtures based on mass percentage of bagasse and buffalo manure (i.e., 0%, 75% bagasse + 25% buffalo manure, 50% bagasse + 50% buffalo manure, 25% bagasse + 75% buffalo manure, and 100% buffalo manure). Spirulina extract and vermicompost interaction effects on the length of root, root weight, leaf area, chlorophyll pigments, 1000-seed weight, protein and oil content in seed, grain yield and harvest index were significant. The highest seed oil content (43.35%) and seed protein content (36.85%) were recorded in plants foliarly sprayed with 6% Spirulina extract. Application of vermicompost resulting from a mixture of buffalo manure + bagasse with the higher ratio of buffalo manure to bagasse gave better seed and oil yield as compared to other vermicompost treatments.