Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Onion Peel-enriched Vermiwash on Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Coriandrum sativum L. in a Hydroponic System
R. Aswini
Department of Zoology, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai-600 004, India.
S. Sandhiya
Department of Zoology, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai-600 004, India.
S. Nagalakshmi
Department of Zoology, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai-600 004, India.
M. Sendhilvadivu *
Department of Zoology, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai-600 004, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objective: The present study evaluated the effects of conventional vermiwash and onion peel-enriched vermiwash on seed germination and early seedling growth of Coriandrum sativum L. under hydroponic conditions and determined the optimum vermiwash concentration for improved plant growth.
Methods: Vermiwash was prepared using Perionyx excavatus in two experimental set-ups: conventional vermiwash and onion peel-enriched vermiwash. Five treatments were evaluated in each set-up: 100% water (control) and 10%, 20%, 40%, and 60% vermiwash. Twenty-five healthy coriander seeds were used per treatment, with three independent replicates, in a hydroponic cup-culture system. Germination percentage, plant height, shoot length, root length, number of leaves, and leaf length were recorded on days 15, 20, and 25. The biochemical characteristics of the vermiwash, including total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK), were also determined. Data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (SD).
Results: The onion peel-enriched vermiwash showed higher potassium concentrations across corresponding treatments and a higher maximum nitrogen concentration, whereas phosphorus concentrations varied among treatments. For conventional vermiwash, the 20% treatment (T2) produced the greatest plant height (6.07 ± 0.035 cm) and the highest germination percentage (20%). For onion peel-enriched vermiwash, the 40% treatment (T3) produced the highest germination percentage (56%), whereas the 10% and 20% treatments produced the greatest plant height (7.03 cm). The 60% concentration did not provide the best response for either germination or seedling growth.
Conclusion: Onion peel enrichment altered the nutrient composition and biological performance of vermiwash under the tested hydroponic conditions. Moderate dilutions were more favourable than the highest concentration, with the best responses occurring at 20% conventional vermiwash and at 20–40% onion peel-enriched vermiwash. These findings indicate that diluted vermiwash may have potential as an organic nutrient input for early coriander growth in hydroponic cup culture; however, further replicated and longer-duration studies are required before broader recommendations can be made.
Keywords: Hydroponic cultivation, Coriandrum sativum L., conventional vermiwash, onion peel-enriched vermiwash, seed germination, early seedling growth, organic biofertiliser, vermicomposting, nutrient composition, agro-waste valorisation.