Effect of Vermicompost and Vermicompost Tea on Vegetative Growth of Rubber Plants under Nurseries Conditions
Jean Lopez Essehi *
National Agricultural of Research Centre (CNRA), Food Crop Research Station, Soil Water and Plant Central Laboratory, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.
Zokagon Sylvain Sehi
Alassane Ouattara University (UAO), Training and Research Unit Technology et Science, BPV 18 Bouaké 18, Côte d’Ivoire.
Antoine Koffi
University Jean Lorougnon Guédé (UJLoG), Training and Research Unit of Agroforestry, Laboratory of Physiology and Plant Pathology, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
Djézou Konan
National Agricultural of Research Centre (CNRA), Research Station of Bimbresso, Hevea Program, Bimbresso, Côte d’Ivoire.
Samuel Obouayeba
National Agricultural of Research Centre (CNRA), Research Station of Bimbresso, Hevea Program, Bimbresso, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Success in rubber growing is linked to the production of vigorous plants in the nursery. However, this cruel stage faces difficulties related to the cost of chemical fertilizer and its availability. This work carried out in 4 localities (Bimbresso, Alépé, Abengourou and Daoukro) in Côte d’Ivoire aimed to improve the production of rubber plant material in nurseries in polyethylene bags using vermicompost and vermicompost tea. The experimental design used is a Fisher block with three treatments and two repetitions. The vermicompost, vermicompost tea and control factors were compared with each other. The addition of vermicompost tea and the control for three months while the addition of vermicompost was done only once. The results indicated that vermicompost tea is the most effective treatment for the vegetative development of plants regardless of the study site. In Bimbresso, the vermicompost tea and vermicompost treatments showed the highest increases with 1.23 and 1.21 mm.month-1, compared to 1.13 mm.month-1 for the control and the highest average values of diameter at the collar. 10.1 mm was obtained with vermicompost tea. Also, the highest rate of graftable plants, grafting success and plants transferable to the field was obtained with vermicompost tea. Likewise, the mortality rate obtained with vermicompost and vermicompost tea was less than 20%. These treatments could be recommended in the production of rubber plant material.
Keywords: Vermicompost, vermicompost tea, nursery, Hevea brasiliensis, Côte d’Ivoire