Effect of nitrogen management through urea and vermicompost on growth and leaf yield of Sadabahar (Vinca rosea) var. vinca sunstorm mix under climatic conditions of Prayagraj

Introduction

Vinca rosea is a tropical perennial plant, native to Madagascar and belonging to the Apocynaceae family. Presently, it is grown in many tropical and subtropical regions. The main reason of the great interest in Vinca rosea is due to wider adaptability to growth throughout the year and its perennial nature. It is a shrub that grows up to 2 feet in height containing dark green leaves. Its flowers compromises of several colours namely dark pink, light pink, purple, dark red and white clour flowers. It consist of several medicinal property. The stems, leaves and roots are used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used for treatment of Diabetes, Malaria, Leukemia and Hodgkin's disease and most importantly for treatment of Cancer. It also helps in controlling nose bleed, bleeding gums and sore throat. More than 100 Alkaloids are present in Sadabahar plant and some famous alkaloids are vincristine, Vinblastine and Vincamine. Vincamine Alkaloids helps in keeping blood thin and has memory enhancing property. It is therefore useful in treating Dementia especially vascular dementia. It also has traditional folk medicinal properties like juice extracted from leaves are used for treating bee wasp stings.

Materials and Methods

Entire experiment was conducted in the Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology And Sciences, Prayagraj, during July, 2024 to October, 2024. The experimental field is situated on the left side of Prayagraj-Rewa Road, close to the river Yamuna, and is approximately 7 km from Prayagraj city. The data will be recorded using Randomised Block design (RBD) during this investigation. In RBD, we take common difference (C.D.) value between two groups that is significant and non-significant values using ANNOVA variance.

Nursery preparation

Seeds were collected from seed company namely Syngenta located at New Delhi Afterwards collected seeds were soaked in water one day prior to sowing for better germination. Before sowing, beds were prepared inside poly house then seeds were sown. After sowing, seeds were irrigated with water. After 4-5days germination was noticed resulting in growth of plant saplings. Plant saplings were covered with polythene sheets till it achieved certain height and irrigated with help of rosette can. Meanwhile fertilliser mancozeb was sprayed over plant saplings @ 2gram/liter to protect them from fungicidal attack due to presence moisture in rainy season. After 45 days in the poly house, plants were ready for transplantation. In month of August, Sadabahar plants were transferred to the main field in the evening where 3 plants were planted in a row and in total 9 plants were planted in each plot followed by irrigation through rosette can during morning and evening time. 3 times irrigation were done and accordingly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were given in doses 30:50:40 and Vermicompost @ 2.0, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 t ha -1 were given.

Land preparation

The experiment included three levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium three levels of NPK (0, 50, & 100% dosage) with (30,50,40 Kg t/ha) and vermicompost in three doses (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10Kg/ tonnes). Fertiliser were added in three portions, the first was given after 2 months in month of September while the second portion and third portion were given at gap of 15 days interval. In order to obtain field free from weeds hand weeding was done accordingly and for proper growth of plants, field were irrigated twice in a day during morning and evening. The 16 treatments were arranged in randomized block design (RBD) with 3 replications. With experimental unit area of plot size 2m x 1m with 68 number of plots. The following parameters were recorded during investigation that were Plant height, diameter of flowers, Number of leaves, Number of branches, number of flowers, number of petals, inter nodal length of leaves, Fresh weight of plant, Dry weight of plant, Fresh weight of shoot as well as Dry weight of shoot were determined. ANOVA analysis was used for comparison OF various treatment by calculationg F-test, S.Ed. value along with that C.D. value was calculated for evaluating the difference between two groups by taking out mean.

Agroclimatic condition

Geographically, Prayagraj is situated at an elevation of 78 meters from mean sea level in the South-Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. It lies between the parallels of 24° 77' and 25° 47' north latitudes and 81° 19' and 82° 21 cast longitudes. The area of Prayagraj district comes under agro climatic zone V (Upper Gangetic Plain region) and sub-zone of Central Plains. The climate ranges from dry sub-humid to semi-arid and the soil is alluvium calcareous sandy loam. The district experiences average maximum temperature ranges between 43°-47°C which may go as high as 48°C during peak summers (May-June). The minimum average temperature is 2-4°C, which may fall as low as 1°C during peak winter months (December-January) The average rainfall of the district is 960 mm and the monsoon season is spread between July-0ctober.

Techniques of analysis 1. Soil Sampling

The soil sample was collected from different places of the experimental field from the surface to 12-15 cm depth. These soil samples were mixed together, air dried, powdered and the thoroughly mixed. A representative soil sample of five gram for each and every analysis was drawn and subjected to mechanical and chemical analysis.

Physico-chemical properties of soil

The experimental site was a fairly level land with sandy loam soils of uniform fertility status with low clay and high sand percentage. The soil sample were collected at random spots from depth of 0-30 cm. and the soil was analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium at Allahabad and are presented in Table 1. And 2. Treatment combination T 0 as control Vermicompost @2.5 t ha-1 T 1 as Vermicompost @2.5 t ha-1 T 2 , as Vermicompost @5.0 t ha-1 T 3 as vermicompost @7.5 t ha-1 And T 4 as Vermicompost@10 t ha-1, T 5 as 50% N through Urea + Full Pk, T 6 as 50% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 2.5 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 7 as 50% through Urea +Vermicompost@ 5.0 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 8 as 50% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 7.5 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 9 as 50% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 10t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 10 as 100% N through Urea + Full Pk, T 11 as 100% N Through Urea + Vermicompost@ 2.5 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 12 as 100%50% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 5.0 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 13 100% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 7.5 t ha-1+ Full Pk, T 14 as 100% N through Urea +Vermicompost@ 10t ha-1+ Full PK.

Result and Discussion

All the growth attribute characters were studied viz, Plant height(cm), Number of flowers, Number of leaves, Number of petals, diameter of flower, number of branches, internodal length of leaves(cm), fresh weight of leaves(g/plant), dry weight of leaves(g/plant), fresh weight of shoot(g/plant) and dry weight of shoot(g/plant) were recored at 30.60 and 90 days after planting gives in table the treatments obtained and mentioned below and result are discussed In light of experiment.

Significantly, the maximum plant height was observed inT 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (30.56) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (30.32) And minimum was reported in treatment T 0 under Control (44.83). This might te due to postive effects of macronutrients that serve a critical function in plant development and growth. They serve a variety of purposes, from structural components to redoxsensitive agents. In general, applying macronutrients boosts crop growth, and leaf yield.

Nitrogen is necessary for sufficient proportions for plant growth and yield, since it accounts for 1.5 2.0 percent of plant dry matter and around 16 percent of total plant protein.

Number of leaves

Significantly, the maximum Number of leaves was observed in T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (47.77) followed by T 13 -100% N throug Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (47.56) And minimum was reported in treatment T 0 under control (7.34). This might be due to positive effects of Nitrogen that in vegetative growth of plant. Plant development, dry matter buildup, and finally a bigger number of leaves may come from an appropriate and balanced supply of nutrients, increased uptake, and assimilation as compared to no fertilization, reported comparable results.

Number of branches

Significantly, the maximum number of branches was observed in T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (15.35) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (15.27) And minimum was reported in treatment T 0 under control (13.10). This may be due to positive effects of nitrogen which is essential for development. It is reported in findings where, found out that 100 kg nitrogen per hectare produced the most number of branches in calendula

Number of flowers

Significantly, the maximum number of flower was observed in T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (28.52) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (27.21) and minimum was reported in treatment T 0 -under control (1.03). This may be to positive effects of vermicompos that was supplied to soil. This is reported in findings where part of the ground soil was replaced by different amounts vermicompst of different origins leading to increased germination and flowering in laboratory and greenhouse condition in a vast variety of ornamental plants and vegetables such as marigold, tomato and pepper.

Significantly, the maximum diameter of flower, Length of corolla tube and Numberof petals were recorded in treatment T 14-100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (2.34 cm), (2.55), ( 5) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (2.21), (2.46), ( 5) and minimum was reported in treatment T 0 under control (1.02), (1.5), (3.47). This might be due to positive effects of vermicompost that as supplied to plants. Greater proportions of vermicomposts substituted in growth media have not improved plant growth as much as smaller proportions enhanced development.

Internodal length of leaves (cm), fresh and dry weight of leaves (g/plant) Significantly, the maximum Internodal length of leaves, Fresh weight of leaves and Dry weight of leaves were recorded in treatment T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (1.91)), (36.08), (4.21) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (1.85), (35.64), (4.19) and minimum was reported in treatment under control T 0 -control (1.37), (25.14), (3.34).

Fresh weight and dry weight of shoot(g/plant) and length of main root(cm) Significantly, the maximum Fresh weight of shoot, Dry weight of shoot, Length of main root were recorded in the treatments T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK (79.99),(33.68), (20.49) followed by T 13 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 7.5t/ha +Full PK (79.61),(33.52), (20.33) and minimum was reported in the treatment T 0 -under control T0 (71.06),(29.33), (16.73). This might be due to positive effects of nitrogen that enhanced overall development. This was reported in findings where insufficient nitrogen availability had a negative impact on crop morphology, growth, and biomass.

In Callistephes chinensis, reported that raising nitrogen levels increased flower output, fresh weight, and dry weight of the plant. Hence it is concluded that T 14 treatment is the most significant among others.

Results and Conclusion

From the present investigation, it is concluded that treatments with T 14 -100% N through Urea + Vermicompost @ 10t/ha +Full PK was found to be most significant over all other treatments in relation to growth and leaf yield.

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