Effects of Sesuvium verrucosum Raf. Compost and vermicompost on the growth and production parameters of the Solanum lycopersicum L. crop

Abstract

The objectives of this work were to use Sesuvium verrucosum to produce stable and mature compost and vermicompost and to evaluate their influence on the growth and production parameters of the Solanum lycopersicum L. crop. For the preparation of vermicompost, the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Savigny) was used. The proposed treatments were: T1 (negative control) [no organic fertilizer + urea], T2 (positive control) [bovine manure (100%) + urea], T3 (compost) [bovine manure (100%) + urea], T4 (compost) [S. verrucosum (25%) + bovine manure (75%) + urea], T5 (compost) [S. verrucosum (50%) + bovine manure (50%) + urea], T6 (compost) [S. verrucosum (75%) + bovine manure (25%) + urea], T7 (vermicompost) [bovine manure (100%) + urea], and T8 (vermicompost) [S. verrucosum (25%) + bovine manure (75%) + urea]. The results showed that all the treatments were stable, mature and rich in nutrients after 140 days. In general, treatments made from S. verrucosum showed a high pH (7.97–8.45) and electrical conductivity (3.83–8.85 dS m-1). Nonetheless, excluding T7, the treatments made from a proportion of 25% halophyte and 75% bovine manure (T8 and T4) achieved the highest morphological parameters in the different variables that were evaluated, as well as the highest yields compared to controls T1 and T2, followed by T3, T5 and T6, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that S. verrucosum can serve as a stable and mature organic amendment, rich in nutrients, and that can be used to improve the growth and development of the S. lycopersicum crop.