RICE and SOYBEAN with Vermicasts

Reddy (1988) tested the effects of vermicasts on growth of rice in pots. Rates were 310 g, 620 g, and 940 g
of casts per 2 kg soil (to give the equivalents to 20, 40 and 60 kg K2O ha-1 ) compared to soil only.
Significant increases in plant growth were recorded after four months. Reddy surmised that the effects of
the casts on the growth of rice may be due to the presence of ‘plant growth substances’ identified by others
as indole compounds also ‘yield-influencing substances’ which could be secreted into the casts, and, in turn
increase the plant growth. In addition, chemical analysis of casts showed that they were richer in various
plant nutrients compared to the underlying soil. His results are shown in the table below:

Growth Soil only controls Soil + 940 g casts Soil + 620 g casts Soil + 310 g casts
measurement
Whole length (cm) 62.8* 81.5* 64.8 64.3*
Number of Tillers Least Greatest Intermediate Low
Whole length root 27.6* 47.4 30.6 35.8*
(cm)
Adventitiousness Minimum (thin) Maximum Medium Minimum
of root system
* Significant at p< 0.01

Kale et al. (1992) found that when vermicompost was applied to a rice paddy in India, there were
significant increases in the colonisation of soil by nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Higher
levels of total nitrogen in the plot with added vermicompost was attributed to higher populations of
nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Also in India, Reddy et al. (in press, as reported by Ismail, 1995) found that vermicompost had favourable
influence on all yield parameters of paddy rice when used in staggered applications at the time of tillering,
panicle initiation, flowering and grain filling. The following table shows their results.

Treatment No. Height Height No. Length No. of No. of Weight/ Yield
tillers at 1 at panicles of grains chaffs 100 Kg/ha
month harvest per hill panicle per grains
Cm Cm cm panicle g
Chemical 16.0 44.4 61.0 11.0 18.8 112.2 16.6 19.85 791.65
Vermi- 18.2 47.4 67.0 15.0 23.2 92.5 19.75 21.81 1566.65
compost

Unlike in conventional farming involving the use of chemical fertilizers, the loss of nutrients by leaching
and other causes is minimal in a system characterised by vermicompost-earthworm-mulch-plant root
interactions. When compared with the availability of nutrients from most of the bulky ogranic manures, the
release of nutrients from the added vermicompost is more rapid leading to early and better plant growth.
In paddy culture, both basal applications and top dressing of vermicompost are suggested. Since there is
water logging in paddy fields it is advisable to apply vermicompost when the water level is minimal on the
soil surface. The presence of earthworm burrows in the soil, facilitates rapid transfer of nutrients to the
crop on irrigation. In such a farming system there is no necessity of liquid fertilizers.

For soybean, worm castings had a stimulating effect on the growth of Glycine max (soybeans), with an
increase in root length, lateral root number, shoot length, and internodal length of seedlings (Chan &
Griffiths, 1998). Casts alone were used or casts + peat-sand mix. Beneficial effects were attributed to
presence in casts of plant growth regulators.
The application of vermicasts (100 and 300 g per 3.5 kg soil) increased the dry weight of soybean by 40-
70%, compared to soil-only control. The N absorbed by the plants from the soil increased from 30 to 50%.
P and K in the treated plants were twice that of the control. The amount of organic matter, total N, P and K
and available P and K in the soil were also increased (Lui et al., 1991).
References

Chan, P.L.S. and Griffiths, D.A. (1988). The vermicomposting of pre-treated pig manure. Biological
Wastes. 24: 57-69.

Ismail, Sultan, A. (1995) Earthworms in soil fertility management. In Thampan, P.K. (ed). “Organic
Agriculture”. Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation, Chochin. Pp 77-100.

Kale, R.D., Mallesan, B.C, Bano, K, Bagyraj, D.J. and Kretzschmar, A (1992). Influence of vermicompost
application on the available macronutrients and selected microbial populations in a paddy field.
Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 24(12): 1317-1320.

Lui, S.X, Xiong, D.Z., Veeresh, G. K., Rajagopal, D. and Viraktamath, C.A. (1991). Studies on the effect
of earthworms on the fertility of red-arid soil. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Soil
Zoology Colloquium, Advances in management and conservation of soil fauna, Bangalore, India
August 7-13, 1998: 543-546.

Reddy, M. Vikram (1988). The effects of casts of Pheretima alexandri (Beddard) on the growth of Vinca
rosea, and Oryza sativa L. In: Edwards, C.A. and Neuhauser, E.F. “Earthworms in waste and
environmental management” SPB Academic Publishers, The Hague, Netherlands. Pp 241-248.

Reddy, J.M., Soundararadjane, Banumathy, Geetha, K.S. and Ismail, S.A. (In press). An organic fertiliser
package with vermicompost for paddy.