Comparative Assessment of Cow Manure Vermicompost and NPK Fertilizers and on the Growth and Production of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) Flower

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the comparative effect of cow manure vermicom- post and NPK fertilizers on the growth and flower production of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans). An air

dried sandy loam soil was mixed with four rates of NPK fertilizer equivalent to 0 (control), 0.5 dose (N-P-K = 69-16-35 kg∙ha−1), 1 dose (recommended) (N-P-K = 137-32-70 kg∙ha−1), 2 doses

(N-P-K = 274-64-140 kg∙ha–1) and 4 doses (N-P-K = 548-128-280 kg∙ha−1) and three rates of ver- micompost equivalent to 5%, 10%, 20% by oven dry weight. Two plants were grown in each pot.

After blooming of flowers, the plants were harvested at 50 days of growth and leaves and stems were separated. The growth parameters (shoot height, root length, leaf number, total number of

flower, flower diameter, fresh and dry weight of flower) of Zinnia plant increased by the applica- tion of vermicompost and the effect of NPK fertilizer was not found effective. The growth perfor- mance was similar between 10% and 20% and hence 10% vermicompost should be taken into

consideration when ornamental plants are grown in potting media.