EFFECT OF VERMICOMPOST ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF SELECTED VEGETABLE PLANTS

ABSTRACT Use of chemical fertilizers have lead to decline in fertility and productivity besides causing deficiency and imbalance of macro and micronutrients. The use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide has posed a serious threat to the environment and resulted in the repercussions on the ecosystem. The chemical residues in the food products are causing injury to human beings and cattle population. Use of organic manure plays an important role in the maintenance of soil productivity and improving physical condition of soil for sustainable and better plant growth. The present investigation was aimed to study the effect of inorganic fertilizer, farmyard manure and vermicompost on the uptake of macronutrients namely nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and micronutrients namely iron and copper and their influence on biochemical parameters namely protein content, chlorophyll content, cellulose content and total carbohydrate content of two selected vegetable plants viz., Hibiscus esculentus and Solanum melongena and two medicinal plants viz., Adhatoda vasica and Solanum trilobatum. Our current research work revealed that the uptake of macro and micronutrients by studied plants were faster, higher and the growth related primary metabolites namely total carbohydrates, protein, cellulose and chlorophyll were higher in vermicompost applied plants than other treated plants