Field trials were conducted on cabbage and bhindi during kharif and rabi seasons of 2007 and 2008, respectively. The treatments consisted of three levels of fertilizer NPK (0, 50 and 100%) with and without organic manures [vermicompost V1 (prepared from cow dung and green leaves and twigs of lantana), vermicompost V2 (prepared from mycelium waste+cow dung (1: l)+straw (mash or rice) @ 20 kg per bed of size 3 x 10 x 2.54 cubic feet) and FYM] replicated thrice in a randomized blocked design. Heavy metals and microbiological analysis of Ranbaxy waste material showed that material had heavy metals concentration and different microbial counts below the critical level. Hence, it was found safe to use Ranbaxy wastes for the production of vermicompost. From two years’ experimentation, it was found that vermicompost V2 (prepared from Ranbaxy mycelium waste) was found superior to V1 (prepared from cow dung and green leaves and twigs of lantana) and both were found superior to FYM when applied alone or alongwith 50 or 100% NPK, in increasing crop yield of bhindi and cabbage.V2 was found superior to V1 and both were found superior to FYM in improving fertility status of soil after vegetable crop harvest.
Bhindi, Cabbage, Lantana, Mycelium waste, Organic manure, Vermicompost
