EFFECT OF COMPOST ON GROWTH AND ROOT ARCHITECTURE OF Melia azedarach L. SEEDLINGS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Agroforestry and Environment of Research Field, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Bangladesh during October 2016 to April 2017 to find out the effect of compost on the germination, shoot growth and root architecture of Ghora neem (Melia azedarach L.) seedlings. There were seven (07) compost preparation with control (soil) viz. T1 (kitchen waste+ cow dung), T2 (kitchen waste + poultry manure), T3 (kitchen waste+ cow dung+ poultry manure), T4 (poultry manure+ ash), T5 (poultry manure+ ash+ saw dust), T6 (poultry manure+ saw dust) and T7 (only soil). The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. The experiment was conducted in mud containers in the open field condition. The experimental results revealed that germination % of seed and number of germinated shoots were positively affected by different composts. Ghora neem seeds showed better germination in almost all the compost treatments except T1 compared to control. The highest germination % of Ghora neem seeds was recorded in T4 followed by T3 (50%), T6 (43.75%), T5 (37.5%), T2 (31.25%), and lowest germination percentage (25%) was recorded in treatment T1. Incase of the shoot and root morphological traits, the number of leaves and root length varied due to different composts. Other parameters of Ghora neem seedlings shoot height, root collar diameter, shoot dry biomass, root dry biomass, central root length, quality index were found statistically insignificantly. The highest number of leaves of Ghora neem seedlings was recorded in treatment of T4 and the lowest in T2. On the other hand, the highest shoot/root ratio found in T5 and the shortest length was recorded in T2. Shoot and root dry biomass was found insignificantly due to different compost application. Root architectural analyses showed that the length of first order lateral roots (FOLR) was recorded same after 1, 2 ,3 and 4 months but their diameter and number increased after 2, 3 and 4 months than that of 1 month. From the study, it can be concluded that T4 i.e. poultry manure+ ash can be used to break the dormancy of hard seed coat of Ghora neem seeds and subsequent better growth of the seedlings. So, the raise and plantation of Ghora neem seedling the compost made by poultry manure with ash may be a good manuring.