Impact of foliar application of vermiwash on growth, nutrient uptake and yield of onion

Authors

  • A B Jadhav Vermicompost Yard, Division of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Pune: 411005
  • V S Patil Division of Soil Science, Mahatma Phule Krushi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra
  • A B Gosavi Division of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Pune: 411005
  • B M Kamble Head, Department of Soil Science, Mahatma Phule Krushi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/jefa.2025.20.2.8

Keywords:

Rain tree litter, vermicompost, vermiwash, onion

Abstract

The field experiment on onion, conducted at Post Graduate Research Farm, Department of Soil Science, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri during the period of 2022-23, to ascertain the effect of foliar sprays of vermiwash (VW) on growth and yield of onion grown in Inceptiosl with seven treatment combinations consisting of RDF @ 75 and 100 per cent along with vermiwash foliar spray concentration @ 10, 20 and 30 per cent and one absolute control (water spray) replicated thrice in randomized block design. Results showed significantly higher number of leaves (10.80) to onion at 40 days after planting with the application of 100 per cent RDF along with two foliar sprays of vermiwash @ 20 per cent taken at 30 and 45 days after planting. Application of 100 per cent RDF with two foliar sprays of vermiwash @ 20 per cent concentration resulted significantly higher plant height (55.33 cm) at 30 days after planting, which was statistically at par with 75 per cent RDF + 30 per cent foliar spray of vermiwash (52.01 cm). Data revealed that, addition of 75 per cent RDF with two foliar sprays of vermiwash @ 30 per cent was significantly higher total soluble solids (15.46) in onion. Higher equatorial (67.08 mm) and polar diameter (66.66 mm) of onion was reported in the treatment receiveing 100 per cent RDF with two foliar sprays of vermiwash @ 20 per cent. It could be concluded from the data that the treatment receiveing 75 per cent RDF with two foliar sprays of vermiwash @ 20 per cent showed significantly higher onion yield and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, manganese and copper. However, application of 100 per cent RDF with foliar spray of vermiwash showed higher manganese and copper uptake by onion at harvest. 

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

A.L. Page, R.H. Miller, D.R. Keeney (Eds.). (1982). Method of Soil Analysis. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp. 539–579.

Abdullah Adil Ansari. (2008). Effect of vermicompost and vermiwash on the productivity of spinach (Spinacia oleracea), onion (Allium cepa) and potato (Solanum tuberosum). World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4: 554–557.

Adkazawa Shin-ichi, Badamkhatan Tsagaankhuu, Omiya Kennosule, Shimizu Yumi, Hasegawa, Sakai Kazuki, Kamimura Kenji, Takeuchi Akiko, & Murakami Yuli. (2023). The growth promoting effect of earthworm vermiwash on house tomato plants. Sustainability, 15: 10327. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310327.

APHA. (2017). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (23rd ed.). Washington DC: American Public Health Association.

D.W. Nelson, L.E. Sommers. (1982). Total organic carbon and organic matter.

Elbanna, B. A., Heba Elbasiouny, Mustafa, Azza A., & Khaled, M. (2021). Vermiwash Production From Some Types of Earthworms. Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security (EBSS), 5: 95–103. http://jenvbs.journals.ekb.eg//.

Girmay, S., Urgessa, K., & Berecha, G. (2016). Foliar Spray with Coffee Husk Vermiwash Enhances Seedling Growth of Moringa stenopetala (Baker F.) and Jatropha curcas. Research Journal of Forestry, 10: 15–22. https://doi.org/10.3923/rjf.2016.15.22.

Goyal, Sneh, Dhull, S.K., & Kapoor, K.K. (2005). Chemical and biological changes during composting of different organic wastes and assessment of compost maturity. Bioresource Technology, 96: 1584–1591.

Jadhav, A.B., Gosavi, A.B., Majik, S.T., Deshmukh, S.U., Patil, A.V., & Ahire, S.G. (2023). Nutrient composition of vermicompost as influenced by rain tree litter (Samanea saman) and paddy straw spent mushroom compost. The Pharma Innovation, 12: 2622–2626.

Jaikishun, S. N., Hunte, A.A., Ansari, A.A., & Gomathinayagam, S. (2014). Effect of vermiwash from different sources (bagasse, neem, paddy straw in different combinations) in controlling fungal diseases and growth of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruits in Guyana. Journal of Biological Sciences, 14: 501–507.

John, M.K. (1970). Calorimetric determination of phosphorus in soil and plant materials with ascorbic acid. Soil Science, 109: 214–220.

Kaur, M., & Devinder, P.K. (2017). Vermiwash: An effective nutritive boon to foliage and crops. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 9: 1608–1611.

Krishnamoorthy, R.V., & Vajranabhaiah, S.N. (1986). Biological activity of earthworm casts: An assessment of plant growth promoter levels in the cast. Proceedings of Indian Academy of Sciences (Animal Science), 95: 341–351.

Manpreet Kaur, & Devinder Pal Kaur. (2017). Vermiwash: An effective nutritive boon to foliage and crops. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 9: 1608–1611.

Muscolo. (2020). Earthworm humic matter produces auxin-like effects on Daucus carota cell.

Nadana, R.R.V. (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2020.101011.

Prakash, P., Umesh Prasad, Swetha Sunkar, N. M. D., Sai Krishna, Akshay Atul Gala, & Amit Kumar et al. (2016). Formulation of vermiwash and humic acid and its application on Allium cepa. Bioscience Biotechnology Research Asia, 13: 523–529.

Rajasekar, Kuppuraj, Thilagavayhy, D., & Natchimuthu, K. (2012). Microbial enrichment of vermicompost. International Scholarly Research Network. Article ID 946079. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/946079.

Raman, & Krishnamoorthy. (2019). Impact of organic foliar nutrition and its efficacy on sustainable production of rice. Acta Scientific Agriculture, 3: 10.

Rostami, R., Najafi, S.H., Nabaee, A., & Eslami, A. (2010). Survey of E. foetida population on pH, C/N ratio process rate in vermicompost. Journal of Environmental Studies, 35: 93–98.

Scheu, S. (1987). Microbial activity and nutrient dynamics in earthworm casts (Lubricidae). Biology and Fertility of Soils, 5: 230–234. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00256906.

Sundararasu, K., & Jayasankar, A. (2014). Effect of vermiwash on growth and yield of brinjal (Solanum melongena). Asian Journal of Science and Technology, 5: 171–173

Tharmaraj, K., Ganesh, P., Kolanjinathan, K., Kumar, R., & Anandan, A. (2011). Influence of vermicompost and vermiwash on physicochemical properties of rice cultivated soil. Current Botany, 2: 18–21.

Walkley, A., & Black, I.A. (1934). An Examination of the Degtjareff Method for Determination Soil Organic Matter and a Proposed Modification of the Chromic Acid Titration Method. Soil Science, 37: 29–38.

Yasmin, M., Rahman, M.S., Rahman, M.A., Shikha, F.S., & Alam, M.K. (2021). Effect of foliar application of vermiwash on growth and quality of brinjal. Journal of Wastes and Biomass Management (JWBM), 3: 31–34. https://doi.org/10.26480/jwbm.01.2021.31.34.

Published

2025-07-26

How to Cite

Jadhav, A. . B., Patil, V. . S., Gosavi, A. . B., & Kamble, B. . M. (2025). Impact of foliar application of vermiwash on growth, nutrient uptake and yield of onion. Journal of Eco-Friendly Agriculture, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.48165/jefa.2025.20.2.8