Microbial Enriched Compost and Its Effect on Soil Properties, Growth and Yield of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.)

Abstract

The physical and chemical properties of microbial-enriched compost and the field performance of foxtail millet as affected by MEC were evaluated. The MEC consists of corn stover, wild sunflower residues, and Trichoderma harzianum was used to enrich compost. Phase I was carried out in CRD with three test plants treated with MEC in three replicates. The MEC showed maturity and stability suitable for crop growth. Results of the phytotoxicity evaluation on radish, mungbean, and foxtail millet in vitro revealed that MEC did not significantly affect the germination index of test plants, but significantly affected percent germination and root length. The field trial of foxtail millet applied with MEC was conducted following the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with nine treatments, in three replicates. The treatments were: Control, Recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer (RRIF), Recommended rate of Commercial Compost (RRCC), MEC at 500 kg ha^-1, MEC at 1 ton ha^-1, ½ RRIF + 500 kg ha^-1 MEC, ½ RRIF + 1 ton ha^-1 MEC, RRIF + MEC at 500 kg ha^-1 and RRIF + MEC at 1 ton ha^-1. The application of microbial-enriched compost resulted in the increased of organic matter from 1.2% to 4.0%, total nitrogen up to 0.200%, extractable phosporus to 147.11 mg kg^-1 , and exchangeable potassium to 0.0607 cmol kg^-1,with a slight increase in soil pH from 5.13 to 5.26. The application of MEC and inorganic fertilizers did not significantly affect the plant height, vegetative tillers at 45 DAS, days to flower and maturity of foxtail millet.