Comparison of Vermicompost and Cow Manure Efficiency on the Growth and Yield of Tomato Plant

Vermicomposting convert waste to wealth in a safe and healthy way, because it is done by biopotential of earthworm. Vermicompst is a good organic fertilizer that decreases environmental pollution. It contains plant growth hormones, enzymes, microbial population, and free of small animals and harmful pathogens such as Salmonella. Application of such a microbiologically active organic substrate may have important effects on the microbial properties of the media. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different amounts of vermicompost and cow manure on germination, growth, and yield of tomato plant, and compare them at the greenhouse of Mashhad Municipality compost plant under field conditions in 2012. This study was laid out in a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and 4 replications for each treatment. In the present study, vermicompost and cow manure were evaluated in four different dosages (250, 375, 500, and 625 g/m2 mixed with soil). The analysis of the variance results revealed that the effect of the type and amount of fertilizers on tomato yield was significant at 1% level. The results of this study showed that using the vermicompost dosage to cow manure of 500 g/m2 could significantly increase the tomato yield. The vermicompost as a potential source of plant nutrients for sustainable tomato production can reduce health and environmental problems.