Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost and Vermicompost on Yield and Yield Components of Plantago ovata

A green house experiment with four compost to soil (MC10, MC20, MC30, MC50), vermicompost to soil ratios (MCW10, MCW20, MCW30, MCW50) and the control (soil) was carried out to investigate the effects of municipal solid waste compost (MC) and vermicompost produced from it (MCW) on psyllium. Treatments MC20 and MCW20 compared to the control, showed 7% and 23.5% increase in plant height respectively. MCW20 compared to MC20 showed an increase of 33%, and both when compared to the control increased the spike length by 28.4 and 3.4% respectively. Highest number of spike per plant in MCW20 had a significant increase comparing to other treatments, and the control (23.5%). Grain weight per spike was highest in MCW20 and lowest in MCW50 and both had 20% increase and 16.8% decrease respectively compared to the control. Number of grain per spike of MCW20 and MCW50 increased by 14% and decreased by 16% respectively when compared to the control. Grain weight per plant of MCW20 compared to MC20, proved to be superior by 37.8 increases and with respect to the control both showed an increase of 48.5% and 7.7%, respectively. Straw weight per plant of MCW30 and MCW20 treatments was highest. 1000 grain weight in MCW20 increased significantly when compared to other treatments and the control (+29.3%). Grain to straw weight ratio is usually considered detrimental in finding the treatments’ effect on more production of grain or straw, vermicompost (MCW20) proved to be superior by 39.4% and 24% compared to municipal solid waste compost (MC20) and the control respectively in producing more grain than straw. The best urban solid waste compost-soil mixture was found at 20/80 ratio for vermicompost preparation which proved its superiority in almost all parameters when compared to other treatments.