Vermicompost liquid fertilisation affects the vegetative growth of African rose plum seedlings grafted on various rootstocks

Abstract: This study was conducted on a farm of Horticultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt, during two successive seasons (2019 & 2020) on seedling African-rose plum grafted on two rootstocks (Nemaguard and Marianna 26-24, respectively) in sandy soil. African rose seedlings were treated with vermicompost liquid fertilization as follows: soil treatment by vermicompost diluted times, foliar treatment by vermicompost diluted 10 times, double treatment of the soil as mentioned above, and foliar applications and control. The main purpose of this project was to study the effect of vermicompost liquid fertilization on the vegetative growth behavior of African rose plum seedlings grafted on two different rootstocks and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers in the long run and establishing farms that depend on organic fertilization to preserve the environment and maintain consumer health. The results showed that all vermicompost treatments increased the vegetative growth parameters and leaf mineral content of African rose seedlings compared to the control. In addition to, the double treatment of soil and foliar applications gave the highest growth parameters and leaf mineral content. The endogenous hormone is significantly affected by all treatments under study. These results explain that vermicompost fluid improves the morphological and physiological characteristics of the treated seedlings and can be applied to produce organic plums. It gradually dispense with chemical fertilization, and preserve the environment.