Vermicompost as Growing Media Replacement for Polianthes tuberosa var Pearl Production

Abstract

Vermicompost improves soil physicochemical qualities, lowers pollution, and increases plant stability. An experiment was carried out in a perfectly randomized factorial design with three replications in field conditions at Islamic Azad University, Gorgan Branch, to investigate the effect of vermicompost on the properties of cut tuberose flowers. Four fertilizer treatments (control, 20%, 25%, and 30%) were used in the experiments. Morphophysiological variables such as bulb sprouting time, stem length, spike length, stem diameter, number of the floret, number of daughter bulbs, flowering time, and vase life were monitored from bulb sprouting to harvest. Vermicompost levels were found to be significant in all measured features. The 30% vermicompost treatment produced the greatest stem length, spike length, number of daughter bulbs, and vase life. When compared to the control, the 30% treatment resulted in a 1.9-fold increase. The maximum number of the floret, 40.33, was also associated with the 20% vermicompost treatment. When compared to the control and other treatments, the 25% vermicompost treatment boosted stem length (9.61 cm) and decreased bulb shooting time (10.7 days) and flowering time (131.3 days after planting). In general, the results showed that the vermicompost treatment increased the growth and bulb characteristics of cut tuberose flowers under the ecological conditions of the Gorgan region.

Keywords

• linear regression
• pearson correlation
• polianthes tuberosa
• post-harvest
• production bulblets/plant
• vermicompost