Progress 09/15/01 to 03/31/05
Outputs
It is commonly assumed that plant growth is typically nutrient-limited, so if biological/chemical agents, such as plant growth-influencing substances, produced through interactions between earthworms and microorganisms, can also influence plant productivity, what significance does this have for the rate of organic matter and earthworms in overall plant productivity? The objectives of the project were: (i) to analyze and categorize changes in the physical and biological properties of vermicomposts produced from cattle wastes food wastes and paper wastes during vermicomposting, and (ii) to follow similar changes in soils when these vermicomposts were applied at two rates, to field plots. The final objective (iii) was to assess the effects of the two low application rates used, on the growth, flowering, fruiting and yields of marigolds, peppers and strawberries. We subsequently changed the experimental ornamental field crop from marigolds to petunias on advice from
horticultural consultants. Grapes were added as an additional experimental field crop. We have excellent results on all research objectives. We have acquired extensive data on all of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the three vermicomposts. There were considerable increases in NO3-N, soluble P and exchangeable Ca and Mg and large decreases in the C:N ratio during vermicomposting. Organic matter became much more fragmented, with more aggregates and greater water-holding capacity and decreased bulk density. The microbial biomass and activity and diversity increased significantly. Field soils that received the vermicomposts had larger total organic matter contents and more microbial biomass and greater microbial activities and retained moisture better. We now have growth, flowering, fruiting and yield data for field strawberries over two seasons and three sites and for field grapes over three seasons. We have germination, growth and flowering data for field petunia
over two seasons. The crops which received vermicomposts (balanced for nutrients with inorganic fertilizers), consistently and significantly out-yielded the crops receiving only inorganic fertilizers.
Impacts
Vermicomposts decreased plant parasitic nematode attacks and incidence of blossom end rots on tomatoes, bacterial wilt, early blight, powdery mildew, verticillium wilt and Phomopsis.
Publications
- Arancon, N.Q, Galvis, P.A, Edwards, C.A. 2005. Supression of Insect Pest Populations and Insect Damage to Plants by Vermicomposts, Bioresource Technology 96, 1137-1142
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
The objectives of the project were: (i) to analyze and categorize changes in the physical and biological properties of vermicomposts produced from cattle wastes food wastes and paper wastes during vermicomposting, and (ii) to follow similar changes in soils when these vermicomposts were applied at two rates, to field plots. The final objective (iii) was to assess the effects of the two low application rates used, on the growth, flowering, fruiting and yields of marigolds, peppers and strawberries. We subsequently changed the experimental ornamental field crop from marigolds to petunias on advice from horticultural consultants. Grapes were added as an additional experimental field crop. We have excellent progress on all research objectives. We have acquired extensive data on all of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the three vermicomposts. There were considerable increases in NO3-N, soluble P and exchangeable Ca and Mg and large decreases in the C:N
ratio during vermicomposting. Organic matter became much more fragmented, with more aggregates and greater water-holding capacity and decreased bulk density. The microbial biomass and activity and diversity increased significantly. Field soils that received the vermicomposts had larger total organic matter contents and more microbial biomass and greater microbial activities and retained moisture better. We now have growth, flowering, fruiting and yield data for field strawberries over two seasons and three sites and for field grapes over three seasons. We have germination, growth and flowering data for field petunia over two seasons. The crops which received vermicomposts (balanced for nutrients with inorganic fertilizers), consistently and significantly out-yielded the crops receiving only inorganic fertilizers. Vermicomposts decreased plant parasitic nematode attacks and incidence of blossom end rots on tomatoes, bacterial wilt, early blight, powdery mildew, verticillium wilt and
Phomopsis. There were significant suppressions of attacks by cucumber beetles aphids and hornworms.
Impacts
These laboratory and field research data will encourage farmers to use vermicomposts as soil amendments, at low application rates, and obtain increased yields
Publications
- Edwards, C.A., Arancon, N.Q. 2003. The Use of Earthworms in the Breakdown and Management of Organic Wastes to Produce Vermicomposts and Feed Protein. In: Edwards, C.A. (Ed.). 2003. Earthworm Ecology, 2nd Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. 345-379
- Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Bierman, P., Metzger, J., Lee, S., Welch, C. 2003. Applications of vermicomposts to tomatoes and peppers grown in the field and strawberries grown under high plastic tunnels. Pedobiologia 47, 731-735.
- Arancon, N.Q., Yardim, E., Edwards, C.A., Lee, S., 2003. The trophic diversity of nematode communities in soils treated with vermicomposts. Pedobiologia 47, 736-740.
- Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A. 2004. Vermicomposts can suppress plant pest and disease attacks. Biocycle March 2004, 51-53.
- Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Bierman, P., Welch, C. and Metzger, J.D. 2004. Influence of vermicomposts on field strawberries:Effects on growth and yields. Bioresource Technology. 93, 145-153
- Edwards, C.A., Dominguez, J., Arancon, N.Q. 2004. The Influence of Vermicomposts on Plant Growth and Pest Incidence. In Soil Animals and Sustainable Development. Eds. W.Z.A. Mikhail and S.H. Shakir Cairo, Egypt. 397-420.
- Edwards, C.A., Arancon, N.Q. 2004. Interactions Among Organic Matter, Earthworms and Microorganisms in Promoting Plant Growth. In: Edwards, C.A. (Editor-in-Chief), Magdoff, F., Weil, R. (Eds.). 2003. Functions and Management of Soil Organic Matter in Agroecosystems. C.R.C. Press, Boca Raton, Fl. 11, 327-376.
- Edwards, C.A., Arancon, N.Q. 2004. The Use of Earthworms in the Breakdown of Organic Wastes to Produce Vermicomposts and Animal Feed Protein. In Earthworm Ecology (2nd edition) Editor C.A. Edwards. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl, London, New York, Washington. 345-438
- Arancon, N.Q, Galvis, P.A, Edwards, C.A. 2005. Supression of Insect Pest Populations and Insect Damage to Plants by Vermicomposts, Bioresource Technology. (in press)
- Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Bierman, P., Metzger, J.D., Lucht, C. 2005. Effects of vermicomposts produced from cattle manure, food waste and paper waste on the growth and yields of peppers in the field. Pedobiologia, (in press).
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Experimental work on the effects of vermicomposts on the germination, growth, flowering, fruiting and yields of vegetables, ornamentals and fruit that began in 2001 continued in 2003. Greenhouse experiments showed that substitutions of small proportions of paper, cattle and food waste vermicomposts into a soilless bedding plant medium (Metro-Mix 360) increased the growth, flowering and fruiting and yields of petunias, marigolds and cabbages consistently and significantly. Similar effects on plant growth were obtained when a range of concentrations of aqueous extracts and humic acids extracted from similar vermicomposts were applied to the soilless medium (MM 360). Other greenhouse experiments showed that various combinations of auxins and humates increased the growth of peppers and marigolds significantly. Significant quantities of auxins were identified from vermicomposts by GCMS analyses. Cabbages were germinated in vermicomposts and grown then transferred to
regular growth media for later growth. These experiments demonstrated clearly that residual effects of vermicomposts could increase the later growth of cabbages significantly even when grown in normal media. Significant suppression of plant parasitic nematode populations attacking tomatoes, peppers, grapes and strawberries was demonstrated in field experiments using 1.25, 2.5 or 5 tons per acre of paper, cattle or food waste vermicomposts. A suppression of the plant pathogen Pythium on cucumber and Rhizoctonia on radishes by vermicomposts was demonstrated in the greenhouse and suppression of Verticillium wilt on strawberries and Phomopsis on grapes in the field. Arthropd pests, including aphids, mealy-bugs and two-spotted spider mites on tomatoes and peppers, and cabbage white caterpillars on cabbages were suppressed significantly, by substituting 20 or 40% vermicomposts into corresponding amounts of a soilless growth medium (Metro-Mix 360) in artificially-infested greenhouse
experiments. The suppression seemed to be plant nutrition based. The growth and flowering of petunias in field experiments increased significantly in response to application rates of 2.5 or 5.0 tons per acre of three types of vermicomposts. Further field experiments are under way into identifying the lowest rate of application of vermicomposts that will increase the growth or ornamental and vegetable crops significantly in the field
Impacts
Our demonstrations of consistent and significant increases in growth and yields of ornamental, vegetable and fruit crops by low application rates or substitutions, of different types of vermicomposts, should lead to rapid expansion of the horticultural uses of vermicomposts. The rates of vermicompost application needed to achieve these results are economically-viable, particularly since they decrease serious nematode, arthropod and disease attacks as well as increasing crop yields. The adoption and use of vermicomposts by households and horticulturists is increasing rapidly and holds great promise
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
The three objectives of the project were: to analyze and categorize changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of vermicomposts produced from cattle wastes food wastes and paper wastes during vermicomposting, and to follow similar changes when these vermicomposts were applied at two rates, to field plots. The final objective was to assess the effects of the two low application rates used, on the growth, flowering, fruiting and yields of marigolds, peppers and strawberries. We subsequently changed the experimental ornamental field crop from marigolds to petunias on advice from horticultural consultants. Grapes were added as an additional experimental field crop. We have made excellent progress on all research objectives. We have acquired extensive data on all of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the three vermicomposts. There were considerable increases in NO3-N, NH4-N, soluble P, exchangeable calcium, magnesium and decreases in the
C:N ratio during vermicomposting. The physical properties of the vemicomposts changed greatly; the organic matter became much more fragmented, with increased numbers of aggregates and the water-holding capacities increased and the bulk densities decreased. The microbial biomass and activity and microbial diversity increased significantly. Field soils that received the vermicomposts demonstrate had increased total organic matter contents and more microbial biomass and greater microbial activities and retained moisture better. We now have growth, flowering, fruiting and yield data for field peppers over two seasons, for field strawberries over one season and three sites and for field grapes over three seasons. We have germination, growth and flowering data for field petunias over one season. The crops which received vermicomposts (balanced for nutrients with inorganic fertilizers), consistently and significantly out-yielded the crops receiving only inorganic fertilizers. The two
vermicompost application rates (2.5 or 5 tons/ha) performed very similarly and there were strong indications that an even lower application rate could still have significant effects on crop yields. Disease incidence and plant parasitic nematode populations were decreased consistently on crops that received vermicomposts. There were suppressions of Verticillium wilt in strawberries and Powdery mildew and Phomopsis in grapes.
Impacts
These laboratory and field research data will encourage farmers to use vermicomposts as soil amendments, at low application rates, and obtain increased yields.
Publications
- Chaoui, H., Edwards, C.A., Brickner, M., Lee, S. and Arancon, N. 2002 Suppression of the plant diseases, Pythium (damping off), Rhizoctonia (root rot) and Verticillum(wilt) by Vermicomposts. Proceedings of Brighton Crop Protection Conference- Pests and Diseases. Vol. II, 8B-3, 711-716
- Atiyeh, R. M., Edwards, C.A., Subler, S. and Metzger, J.D. 2001. Pig manure vermicompost as a component of a horticultural bedding plant medium: effects on physicochemical properties and plant growth. Bioresource Technology 78, 11-20
- Arancon, N., Edwards, C.A., Yardim, F., Lee, S. 2002 Management of plant parasitic nematodes by use of vermicomposts. Proceedings of Brighton Crop Protection Conference- Pests and Diseases. Vol. II, 8B-2, 705-710
- Atiyeh, R.M., Arancon, N., Edwards, C.A., and Metzger, J.D. 2001. The Influence of Earthworm-Processed Pig Manure on the Growth and Productivity of Marigolds. Bioresource Technology 8, 103-108
- Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Bierman, P., Metzger, J., Lee, S., Welch, C. 2003. Applications of vermicomposts to tomatoes and peppers grown in the field and strawberries grown under high plastic tunnels. Pedobiologia (in press)
- Arancon, N.Q., Yardim, E., Edwards, C.A., Lee, S., 2003. The trophic diversity of nematode communities in field soils treated with vermicomposts. Pedobiologia (in press)
- Chaoui, H., Brickner, M., Edwards, C.A., Lee, S., Arancon, N.Q. 2003. Effects of vermicomposts on the suppression of the plant pathogens, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Verticillium . Pedobiologia. (in press)
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