Potentials of compost, compost tea and aqueous neem leaves extract in reducing some diseased plants and boosting onion (Allium cepa L.) production in the field at Gapring-Lara in t he Department of Mayo Kani (Cameroon)

With a view to promoting the onion sector, we studied the behavior of onion following the application in fields of Cow Dung compost, compost tea and the aqueous extract of neem leaves during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons. The device used was a complete randomized block comprising 10 treatments including compost (Cp), compost tea (CpT), Neem extract (Nex), compost + compost tea (Cp+CpT),compost+Neem extract (Cp+Nex), compost tea+Neem extract (CpT+Nex), compost+Compost Tea+NeemExtract (Cp+CpT+Nex), Control (Ctrl), Chemical Pesticide (ChP) and Chemical Fertilizer (ChF) with 3 repetitions each. The work focused on agronomic and phytopathological parameters. The results reveal that Cp+CpT+Nex treatment had a highly significant influence on the germination rate (92.33%) than Ctrl treatment (44%). He was significantly increased the number of leaves, size and yield compared to other treatments with 22.16 leaves, 52 cm and 114.74 t/ha (2018/2019) and 20.83 leaves and 53.84 cm; but yield was higher by ChF with 47.49 t/ha (2019/2020). Nex, Cp+Nex and CpT+Nex treatments reduced attack of Delia antiqua compared to control. And significant reduction in number of plants attacked by onion mildew was observed in Cp+CpT+Nex treatment. In view of the results obtained, organics fertilizers can be used in onion production.

Effects of Onion Residue, Bovine Manure Compost and Compost Tea on Soils and on the Agroecological Production of Onions

Organic solid wastes are rarely considered when planning for rural production in Argentina. Onion production in the low valley of Río Colorado (Buenos Aires) generates between 12,000 and 20,000 Mg year−1 of vegetal wastes (i.e., leaves, stems, skins, roots) from harvesting, cleaning and classification of bulbs, causing many problems with their management. The aim of this work is to study the effect of different doses of onion residue-bovine manure compost and onion residue-bovine manure compost tea on the soil physicochemical properties, microbial activity and agroecological onion production in sandy soil. Results showed that the highest dose of compost caused the highest effects on soil pH, electrical conductivity and nutrient content. Soil enzymatic activities were already high in the soil before the compost was applied, which may have contributed to the small effect caused by any dose on soil activity. A significant positive effect on bulb weight and organic onion yield were found as a result of the amendment and growing season. In conclusion, agroecological production of onion with the addition of a 300 kg N ha−1 compost and compost tea guarantee yields comparable to those of conventional fertilization, as occurred during the two growing seasons of this study.

Effect of Different Botanical Extracts and Organic Compound in The Management of Leaf Spot Disease of Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) Caused by Pestalotia longisetula under Field Condition

A field experiment was carried out using sweet sensation variety of strawberry to check the efficacy of different botanical extracts and organic compounds to manage leaf spot disease. The study was done using ten treatments viz; ginger (T1), turmeric (T2), garlic (T3), ginger + turmeric + garlic (T4), cow urine (T5), cow urine+ ginger + turmeric + garlic (T6), compost tea (T7), compost tea+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic (T8), SAAF (mancozeb 63 % + carbendazim 12%) (T9) and control (T10), which was replicated thrice. The parameter observed during experiment were plant height, leaf number, disease leaves, stem lesions, yield, percent disease incidence, disease severity percent and percent disease control. At 75 days of transplantation, the highest plant height, leaf number (24.60) and yield (1391.67 gm/plot) were observed in treatment compost tea (18.14 cm), cow urine+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic and garlic respectively and lowest in treatment control (16.19 cm, 23.27 & 566.67 gm/plot). The disease leaves and stem lesions were observed highest in treatment control (3.40&3.23) and lowest in treatments garlic (3.0), and cow urine+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic (1.83) respectively at 75 days after transplantation. Moreover, the highest percent disease incidence and disease severity percent were observed highest in treatments control (28.94% & 84.81%) and percent disease control in treatment garlic (42.36%) at 75 days of transplantation. Therefore, it is suggested to use garlic extracts as a measure to control leaf spot disease of strawberry. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(3): 193-202.

Impacts of Effective Microorganisms, Compost Tea, Fulvic Acid, Yeast Extract, and Foliar Spray with Seaweed Extract on Sweet Pepper Plants under Greenhouse Conditions

Sweet pepperincludes several vitamins and is regarded as a great source of bioactive nutrients, such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds, for human growth and activities. This work aimed to investigate the effects of the soil addition of growth stimulants, namely, effective microorganisms (EM), compost tea, fulvic acid, and yeast extract, and foliar applications of seaweed extract, on the vegetative growth, enzyme activity, phytohormones content, chemical constituents of plant foliage, fruit yield, and fruit quality of sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Zidenka) growing under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the tallest plant, largest leaf area/plant, and heaviest plant fresh and dry weights were recorded after combining a soil addition of yeast extract and foliar spray with seaweed extracts at 3 g/L in two growing seasons. The highest number of fruit/plant, fruit yield/m2, fruit values of vitamin C (VC), total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS), and carotenoids, along with the highest leaf of cytokines, P, K, Fe, and total carbohydrates values, were obtained using a soil addition of fulvic acid and spray with seaweed extract at 3 g/L in the two seasons of study. These treatments also provided the lowest abscisic acid, peroxidase, and super oxidase dismutase values in the same conditions. Sweet pepper plants supplemented with compost tea and seaweed extract foliar spray at 3 g/L were the most promising for inducing the highest values of fruit fresh and dry weights, fruit length and diameter, and the leavesrichest in N, Zn, and Mn; inversely, it induced the lowest catalase levels in both seasons. The applications of EM, yeast extract, and seaweed extract could be applied for high growth, mineral levels, enzymatic activity, fruit yield, and nutritional value of sweet pepper fruit and minimizing environmental pollution.

Fresh Compost Tea Application Does Not Change Rhizosphere Soil Bacterial Community Structure, and Has No Effects on Soybean Growth or Yield

Soil bacteria drive key ecosystem functions, including nutrient mobilization, soil aggregation and crop bioprotection against pathogens. Bacterial diversity is thus considered a key component of soil health. Conventional agriculture reduces bacterial diversity in many ways. Compost tea has been suggested as a bioinoculant that may restore bacterial community diversity and promote crop performance under conventional agriculture. Here, we conducted a field experiment to test this hypothesis in a soybean-maize rotation. Compost tea application had no influence on bacterial diversity or community structure. Plant growth and yield were also unresponsive to compost tea application. Combined, our results suggest that our compost tea bacteria did not thrive in the soil, and that the positive impacts of compost tea applications reported elsewhere may be caused by different microbial groups (e.g., fungi, protists and nematodes) or by abiotic effects on soil (e.g., contribution of nutrients and dissolved organic matter). Further investigations are needed to elucidate the mechanisms through which compost tea influences crop performance.