Research Article
Jagruti Tank, Bela Dhamanga
Abstract
Agriculture sector is observing a rise in the usage of organic fertilizers that are prepared from waste generated in farm, kitchen and other agro-industries. We studied the influence of 4 liquid organic manures (OM) on the germination of egg plant and coriander seeds. These organic fertilizers were prepared by using raw materials that are readily available in the fields and nearby sugar industry, thus providing the farmers with an option for preparation of cheap organic. Microbial analysis of these OM showed a rich microbial consortia comprising of nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilizers, Lactobacilli, altogether providing enhancement in plant growth. In this study, we tested the efficacy of these OM on seed germination in red-, black- soil and coco peat. Application of OM resulted in improved seed germination for egg plant seeds. But we did not observe any significant effect for coriander germination in comparison to the controls, although it had positive effect on leaf coloration in field. To understand the biochemicals in these OM on positive effect on plant growth, we performed metabolomic studies using GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of biochemical cycles revealed that nitrogen metabolic pathways followed by carbohydrates and vitamins pathways were crucial. The need of the hour is to design OM that are suited for different crops along with few designed specifically for their growth in different soil conditions. We present importance of metabolomic approaches for understanding the efficacy of biochemicals in customizing preparations of OM.