Effect of Earthworm Cast Mixtures on the Growth of Pepper(Capsicum annuum L.) Seedlings

지렁이분립의 혼합상토가 고추유묘의 생육에 미치는 영향

This study was carried out to find the effects of the mixtures of earthworm cast, peatmoss, and vermiculite as a vegetable plant growth medium on the growth pepper seedlings. The mixed ratios of earthworm cast-peatmoss-vermiculite were 40-20-40, 40-30-30, 40-40-40, 50-20-30, 50-30-20, 60-10-30, 60-20-20 and 60-30-10%. The results of the study are as follows: 1, There was a significant difference of plant length, leaf area, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and biological yield per plant for growth stages and mixed ratios(p<0.05). But there was no significant interactions for both of them. 2. The nursery soil with earthworm cast was generally higher than the control treatment in shoot dry weight, root dry weight adn biological yield per plant. The shoot dry weight and biological yield per plant were high in the treatment including 60% of the earthworm cast to the 3rd week and in the one including 50% from the 4th week. But in root dry weight, the treatment including 40% of it was higher than treatment of the others. 3. The shoot dry weight per plant in treatments consisting both of 40% of earthworm, 40% of peatmoss and 20% of vermiculite and of 60%, 10% and 30% was more significant than that in the control treatment(p<0.05). 4. The average relative growth rates of shoot dry weight, root dry weight and biological yield for all treatments were higher than the ratio of control treatment except the ration of the treatment consisting of 60% of earthworm, 20% of peatmoss and 20% of vermiculite.