EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC LIQUID FERTILIZERS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF Centella asiatica (L.) AND Capsicum annuum (L.) VAR. annuum

Abstract

The present study was conducted to find out the effect of liquid organic fertilizers and synthetic inorganic fertilizer on the growth and yield of Centella asiatica (L.) (Sinhala; Gotukola) and Capsicum annuum (L.) var. annuum (green chilli). Two experiments were set up according to randomized complete block design with six replicates for each plant species in a protected plant house at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna. Four organic liquid fertilizers (Vermiwash, Fish tonic, Jeevamruta and Compost tea) together with Albert’s solution as synthetic liquid fertilizer were used as treatments. The number of leaves, fresh weight of leaves, dry weight of leaves, average length of the stalk, fresh weight and dry weight of the roots were taken as growth parameters of C. asiatica while the plant height, stem girth, number of pods and fresh weight of pods were recorded in C. annuum. The measured parameters for C. asiatica were not significantly different in Albert’s solution, compost tea, jeevamruta and fish tonic while lower values were recorded in vermiwash. The girth of the stem was high in Albert’s solution and fish tonic treated plants while the plant height was high in Albert’s solution treated plants at flowering. However, the highest number of pods per plant and the fresh weight of pods per plant were recorded only by fish tonic treated plants in C. annuum var. annuum. The liquid organic fertilizers found to be effective replacement to the synthetic liquid fertilizer, Albert’s solution to improve crop growth of C. asiatica L. and yield of C. annuum var. annuum.