Introduction:

The continuous use of large quantities of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides to increase the yield of crop varieties cause several hazards to soil such as heavy withdrawal of macronutrients (Prasand and Singh, 1981) deficiency of micronutrients (Kanwar and Randhawa, 1978), nutrient imbalance (Singh et al., 1989) and reduction in organic matter content (Padmaja et al., 1996). As a result, soil gets deteriorated which in turn leads to reduction of plant growth and yield. All these problems have motivated scientists to evolve organic farming practices which could maintain on the one hand higher crop yield and on the other hand fertility and productivity of soil.

Land application of compost /organic manure produced from diverse organic wastes/ weed plants could be one of the most economical and attractive methods of solving wastes disposal problem and eradication of weed plants to increase the nutrients content in the soil simultaneously. However evaluation of the actual nutrients status of organic manures and their impact on plant growth is necessary to establish the real advantages of their use in agriculture / horticulture. Utilization of organic manure in horticulture has been proposed for several years (Broom, 1980; Tomati et al., 1987). In order to find out the quality of organic manures obtained from different sources, a pilot study was undertaken by using organic manures obtained from Ipomoea carnea, sheep droppings and Pongmia pinnata leaves with rose for large scale planning of high quality organic manures production from specific sources there by achieving cost effective agriculture / horticulture crop production.

IPOMOEA CARNEA:

Ipomoea carnea L. is a member of Convolvulaceae which includes about 500 tropical and warm temperate species (Mabberley, 1987).The rapid growth rate, spread and adaptability from aquatic to xerophytic habitats indicate that this plant may potentially become another ecological disaster like water hyacinth (Mohanty and Mishra, 1963). This plant can be used as a source of green manure which may be due to the addition of essential nutrients to the soil by the leaf incorporation which finally helped the increasing of grain yield (Knodap et al., 1981).

SHEEP DROPPING:

Using sheep dropping for the garden 15 not a new idea. Still sheep dropping is referred to as cold manure because of its low nitrogen content. This makes it an excellent addition to any garden. Sheep dropping is high in both phosphorous and potassium, essential elements for optimal plant growth.

PONGAMIA PINNATA LEAVES:

Pongamia pinnata leaves (L) pierre, family Fabaceae is commonly known as “Pungai” is Tamil and well grown in India, Australia, Malaysia, and Philippines. It is a hardy tree of 12-15 meter height and without any care it grows very well in all over India from plain surface to highly slopes. Though its leaves require a period of weathering before they become palatable to earthworm. To make them palatable it should be partly decomposed first under anaerobic condition for some time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

COLLECTION OF MATERIALS

Dry alluvium soil and red soil were respectively collected from Cauvery river bank near Kabisthalam. whereas cowdung, Ipomoea carnea, sheep droppings and Pongamia pinnata leaves were collected from Nakkambadi village, Kabisthalam, Thanjavur district.

Partial Decomposition of Organic Materials

Three earthern pots with size of 54cm in diameter and 35 cm in height was taken and used for the partial decomposition of Ipomoea carnea, sheep droppings and Pongamia piñata materials.

The first, second and third tanks were separately filled with fresh Ipomoea carnea, Sheep droppings and Pongamia pinnata materials respectively and poured with sufficient water. The tanks were closed with polythene sheets to avoid water evaporation and a possible release of foul smell. Water was poured regularly in the tanks after removing the polythene sheets and the tanks was closed again with the same polythene sheets for proper decomposition. Once in three days, the decomposing materials in the tanks were thoroughly mixed using a wooden rod to ensure uniform decomposition. Ideal semi decomposed materials in the form of wet powder or wet cake can be obtained only after 60 days of decomposition. The decomposed materials were separately sun dried and powdered.

Cultivation of Rose Using Different Organic Matters

Twenty four circular earthen pots with 22cm diameter and 23cm height as size were taken and to each a mixture of 2 litres of alluvium soil and 2 litres of red soil was transferred. Twenty four rose siblings purchased from the Shanmugam Nursery Farm at Papanasam were brought to back yard garden of my house and transplanted in the above said pots (one plant in each pot). Sufficient water was added in all the pots for proper fixing of plants into the soil. The experimental pots were kept at open place of back yard garden of my house for direct sun light. The pots were regularly poured with sufficient water once in a day (either morning or evening). Ten days after transplantation of rose plants, 15gm of decomposed cow dung was mixed in the soil at the inner edge of each pot under the depth of 3cm below. Then the above experimental rose plants were divided into 4 groups, each with 6 numbers. In each pot of first, second and third groups, 20gm of respective decomposed (without earthworm exposure) Ipomoea carnea, Sheep droppings and pongamia pinnata materials were added after three days of cow dung application. Subsequent manuring for five times was done with 20gm of respective organic manure in each pot at an interval of 10 days. The plants in fourth group were not provided with any manure but provided only with sufficient water and maintained as control.

After 10 days of transplantation into the pot, total number of nodes, leaves and flowers present in all the rose plants were counted daily and recorded their values for comparison. The cultivation experiment was discontinued once for all, after 60 days due to lack of time.

Statistical Analysis

Statistical comparisons were made between control and experimental data of total number of nodes, leaves and flowers present in the rose plants cultivated under the media containing different decomposed matters of Ipomoea carnea, sheep dropping and pongamia pinnata using Students ‘t’ –test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The data collected at 5 days interval in the total number of nodes, leaves and flowers, present in the Rose plants cultivated in pots under different media added with splitted doses of decomposed Ipomoea carnea (DIC) sheep droppings, (DSD), Pongamia leaves (DPL) for 60 days were given in Table1. Similarly the mean values of growth parameters observed after 60 days were also given in Table 2.

Table 1. Values showing the total number of nodes, leaves and flowers present in the Rose plants cultivated under different media added with splitted doses of decomposed sheep droppings (DSD), decomposed Pongamia leaves(DPL) and decomposed Ipomoea carnea (DIC) for 60 days

Day’s	No of Nodes				No of Leaves					No of Flowers
Day’s	CON	DIC	DSD	DPL	CON	DIC	DSD	DPL	CON	DIC	DSD	DPL
Initial	3	9	8	6	11	18	18	15	0	0	0	0
5	7	17	14	9	15	35	32	23	0	0	1	0
10	11	23	10	13	31	74	60	48	0	0	1	0
15	15	34	29	21	52	115	93	78	0	1	2	1
20	18	40	32	25	74	147	119	97	0	3	3	1
25	21	52	43	30	95	194	156	127	3	4	3	4
30	25	56	47	34	117	229	180	149	4	6	6	6
35	29	68	58	42	134	269	216	179	4	7	7	7
40	30	73	60	44	153	308	244	204	5	17	9	9
45	33	85	72	50	176	345	280	228	5	18	10	11
50	37	89	76	53	193	383	303	253	6	21	15	14
55	40	101	85	60	215	425	339	279	6	22	16	25
60	45	107	91	66	232	456	339	302	7	26	20	18

Valuse are total numbers counted in 6 Rose plant.

Table 2.Values showing the total number of nodes, leaves and flowers per Rose plant present at the end 60 days of cultivation under different media added with decomposed sheep droppings (DSD), decomposed Pongamia leaves(DPL) and decomposed Ipomoea carnea (DIC).

Medium	No of Nodes	No of Leaves	No of Flowers
Control	7.5 2.88	38.66 15.99	1.16 1.17
DIC	17.83 7.49* (137.33)	76 36.88* (96.58)	4.33 1.86* (273.27)
DSD	15.16 8.73* (102.13)	61.5 37.80* (59.08)	3.33 1.37* (187.06)
DPL	11 2.61* (46.66)	50.33 9.24* (30.19)	3 1.67* (158.62)

Mean S.D. of 6 Rose plants; * Significant (P<0.05) over control; Values in parenthesis indicate per cent increase over respective control values.

The Rose plants cultivated in soil medium along with cow dung (control plants) showed with 45 nodes, 232 leaves and 7 flowers which was relatively very less when compared to the plants raised in decomposed sheep droppings, decomposed Pongamia leaves and decomposed I. Carnea materials. Among the three organic manures used in the present study, the plants raised in the decomposed I. carnea materials showed relatively very high values in their nodes, leaves and floweres over the plants raised with decomposed sheep droppings and decomposed Pongamia leaves.

The plants raised in the I. carnea medium showed with very long nodes, dark green leaves and large beautiful colored flowers and their values were 107, 456 and 26 respectively. The values observed in the nodes, leaves and flowers of Rose plants cultivated under decomposed sheep dropping materials showed relatively less values over the plants raised in decomposed I. carnea added medium and high values over the plants in control and decomposed Pongamia leaves medium and the respective values observed in the decomposed sheep droppings medium were 91, 339 and 20. The values present in the Table 2 showed a significant (P<0.05) change over control was noted in all the organic manures and in all the parameters of plants parts studied. From this observation, it is inferred that all the organic materials used in the current study have a positive role in the growth of Rose plants as revealed by their increased values, though a differential effect was observed in all the rose plants cultivated under different organic media.

The macro and micro nutrient analysis made by Arulvizhi (2008) in the decomposed I. carnea materials also supported the present result with increased values of all the macro and micronutrient levels which are very much essential for the better growth of Rose plants under pot cultivation. Similarly the studies made by Ruba Glory (2008) and Balaji (2008) in different organic matters such as decomposed paddy straw waste and decomposed sheep dropping materials using ordinary red rose plants also conform the present result that the decomposed organic wastes of any kinds may influence the rose plant in a better way through production of more flowers under laboratory conditions.

REFERENCES:

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9. Arulvizhi, R. 2008. Mosquito toxicity, macro and micronutrients analysis and the effect of Ipomea carnea on the growth and yield of greengram. M. Phil. Dissertation, Bhatathidasan University, Triruchirapalli.

10. Ruba Glory, P. 2008. Effect of Paddy straw Waste on the growth and yield of Ordinary rose plant. M.Sc., Dissertation, Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirappalli.

11. Balaji, K.S. 2008. Effect of sheep drappings materials on the growth and yield of ordinary red rose plant. M.Sc.Dissertation, Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirapalli.

12. Kanwar, J.S. and N.S. Randhawa. 1978. Micronutrient research in soil and plants in India (A Review). Tech. Bull. 50, ICAR, New Delhi.

Received on 26.06.2016 Modified on 17.07.2016

Research J. Science and Tech. 2016; 8(3): 135-138.

DOI: 10.5958/2349-2988.2016.00018.8