IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

Research article
erd

Efficiency of Vermicompost on Growth and NutrientsContent of Young Rubber Trees (Hevea brasiliensis)
KIRIYA SUNGTHONGWISES*
Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
E-mail: skiriy@kku.ac.th
Received 15 December 2014

Accepted 31 May 2015(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract Vermicompost originates from the breakdown of organic matter by earthworms.
Its microbial activity is 10 to 20 times higher than in the soil and contains a higher
saturation of nutrients than organic materials. Moreover, vermicompost is also believed tocontain hormones and enzymes which it acquires during the passage of the organic matter
through the earthworm gut. The hormones and enzymes are believed to stimulate plant
growth and discourage plant pathogens. The analysis of the ability of vermicompost
through their interactions on seedling growth and nutrients content of Hevea brasiliensis
will enable to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers while increasing crops yield and forsustaining crop production. In this study, the effect of using vermicompost on growth andnutrients content of rubber seedlings has been studied. Four treatments were supplied withratios of 1) 100 g/plant of 15-15-15, 2) 50 g/plant of 15-15-15 combined with 500 g/plant ofvermicompost, 3) 500 g/plant of vermicompost and 4) 100 g/plant of 15-15-15 combinedwith 500 g/plant of vermicompost. The results showed a significant rise in growth andnutrients content of rubber seedlings by increasing ratio of vermicompost combined with 50g/plant of 15-15-15. Obviously, rubber seedlings were mostly appeared in the stem dryweight, N and K content in the leaves part and N, P and K content in the stem part after 6
months in vermicompost applying.
Keywords growth, major nutrients, rubber seedling, vermicompost

INTRODUCTION
In Northeast Thailand, natural rubber is mainly produced by smallholder farmers. N, P and K are
essential elements for plant growth and development. Additionally, the majority of soils inNortheast Thailand are acid and sandy. Soils have low water holding capacity, low organic matter
content, low cation exchange capacity and low availability of nutrients for plant uptake (Bruand etal., 2004). This poor inherent soil fertility decreases further when the soil is cropped. This has
resulted in decreasing quality and quantity of crop yields (Leaungvutiviroj et al., 2006).
Applications of chemical fertilizers at high levels can degrade soil and water resources in the longterm, leading to the loss of ecosystem services and decrease of agriculture sustainability. Latex
yield indicates the growing condition and yield potential of rubber tree. Growth and development
depends on many factors such as weather, clone planted, location, water and fertilizers. Akpan et al.
(2007) reported that soil constitutes the major aspect of the environment that greatly affects thegrowth and productivity of rubber trees. The use of organic and inorganic fertilizers increases theefficiency use of chemical fertilizers and soil remediation (Rubber Research Institute of Thailand,1997).
Vermicomposts are products derived from the accelerated biological degradation of organic
wastes by earthworms and microorganisms. Its microbial activity is 10 to 20 times higher than inthe soil (Chaoui, 2010). Vermicompost contains a higher saturation of nutrients that believed tocontain hormones and enzymes which acquires during the passage of the organic matter throughthe earthworm gut. The hormones and enzymes are believed to stimulate plant growth anddiscourage plant pathogens (Gajalakshmi and Abbasi, 2004). Hua et al. (2008) found that water andnutrients are the two main factors limiting Hevea brasiliensis growth and its latex yield. Akpan etⒸ ISERD148

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1al., (2007) suggested that fertility status of soil has some influence on rubber latex yield. Especially,acid sandy soils in Northeast Thailand are low levels of soil parent materials. This has resulted indecreasing quality and quantity of crop yields (Leaungvutiviroj et al., 2006). The aim of thisresearch was to investigate the effect of vermicompost on growth and nutrients content of Hevea
brasiliensis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Experimental Treatments
The Hevea brasiliensis RRIM 600 field experiments were conducted at Khon Kaen University,
Khon Kaen province, Northeast Thailand in 2013. Northeast Thailand is characterized by a tropicalclimate with an acid sandy soil. Vermicompost produced from cow manure was applied at rates of
500 g/plant (d.w.) to young rubber trees. Chemical fertilizer (15-15-15 kg NPK) was applied atrates of 100 g/plant after a month of sowing date. Four treatments were supplied with ratios of 1)
100 g/plant of 15-15-15, 2) 50 g/plant of 15-15-15 combined with 500 g/plant of vermicompost, 3)
500 g/plant of vermicompost and 4) 100 g/plant of 15-15-15 combined with 500 g/plant ofvermicompost (Table 1).
Table 1 Treatments studied at Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen province,
Northeast Thailand in 2013
Treatment

15-15-15 kg NPK

Vermicompost

Tr1 Control

100 g/plant-

Tr250 g/plant

500 g/plant

Tr3-500 g/plant

Tr4100 g/plant

500 g/plant

PlantsYoung rubber tree
(RRIM 600)
Young rubber tree
(RRIM 600)
Young rubber tree
(RRIM 600)
Young rubber tree
(RRIM 600)

Young Rubber Trees Plantation and Sampling
The Hevea brasiliensis RRIM 600 were transferred to cement blocks with 1 plant/block to control
the organic and chemical fertilizers applied. The plants were grown under natural raining and fieldcondition. Growth and development were measured at the end of each month for 6 months. Whole
plant samples were harvested for assessment of shoot dry weight, number of leaves, plant high,trunk circumference, stem diameter and macronutrients content (N, P and K) in the shoot. All
leaves and stems of young rubber trees were placed into paper bags, oven-dried at 80 qC for 3-4
days before the weight of shoots was determined.
Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) Measurements and Ash Alkalinity
For each sample of above-ground biomass N content was measured by micro-Kjeldahl withindophenol blue, P content by wet oxidation and spectrophotometry and K content by wetoxidation and flame photometry.
Statistical Analysis
The experiment was conducted in Completely Randomizing Design (CRD) with 4 replications. An
analysis of variance was done on data obtained from each parameter in each treatment. All analysis
were carried out using Statistical analysis version 8.0. Least significant differences (L.S.D.) werecalculated at p < 0.05 and Duncan’s multiple-range test was used to test significant differences
between treatments. Standard deviation was also calculated for the variance.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Growth and Nutrients Uptake of Young Rubber Trees
Acid-weathered soils of the tropics and subtropics are particularly prone to P deficiency.
Worldwide, phosphorus is considered as the principal yield-limiting nutrient along with nitrogen(Zahran, 1999). Phosphorus deficiency is a primary constraint to plant growth in many terrestrial
ecosystems (Bonser et al., 1996). Under low soil pH, phosphate is adsorbed on clay minerals andother factors such as low soil moisture affect the availability of phosphorus (Karmarkar et al.,
1997; Roychaudhary et al., 2003). P deficiency has two main causes: (i) the low content in total P
of some soils poor in organic matter or highly weathered, and (ii) the complexation of P withcations such as Ca, Al or Fe, which makes P unavailable to the plants, as in acid soils. Nitrogen (N)elements is a key component of amino acids, proteins, chlorophyll, enzymes and it’s also involved
with the metabolic effect. Phosphorus (P) affects the rate of growth of the circumference and latex
during the beginning of rubber growth (Punnoose et al, 1976). Potassium (K) is a criticalcomponent of enzymes that aid in the protein synthesis, carbohydrate and sugar delivers, acid –base control, the opening - closing of the stomata. Moreover, allows all parts of the plant and rootsystem are strong and resistant to disease and insects. However, excessive amounts of K fertilizer
will decline Mg and Ca of rubber trees and P fertilizers are not always available or affordable tofarmers in the tropics. The experimental strategy employed during this research enabled todetermine the possibility of vermicompost applying for 6 months on growth and nutrients uptake ofyoung rubber trees cv. RRIM600. The results founded that no statistical difference wassignificantly greater for the growth of leaves and stems of young rubber (Fig. 1). As the suitablechemical formula fertilizer for small rubber trees is 20-8-20 with the rate of 410 g/plant (RubberResearch Institute, 1997) which its far from our practices. However, the application of 15-15-15 by
50 g/plant with 500 g/plant of vermicompost statistically significant difference in K accumulationin the trunk (Fig. 4) and their rates of application likely tends to produce vegetative growth, N andP accumulation of young rubber trees (Figs. 2 and 3). This probably related to phosphorus elementin the vermicompost and also other important nutrients are found such as calcium, magnesium andpotassium nitrate. However, not only macronutrients those are vital to the growth of rubber trees.
Micronutrients including manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), boron (B) and themolybdenum (Mo) are also necessary which are typically found in humus. Future research theincreasing in volume of vermicompost application with a suitable chemical formula fertilizer may
enable to promote the growth and nutrients uptake of young rubber trees cv. RRIM600.
aaaaAAAAFig. 1 Vegetative growth of rubber seedling cv. RRIM600 after 6 monthsⒸ ISERD150

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1AAAAaaaaFig. 2 N content of rubber seedling cv. RRIM600 after 6 monthsAAAAaaaaFig. 3 P content of rubber seedling cv. RRIM600 after 6 months

AAAaAababbFig. 4 K content of rubber seedling cv. RRIM600 after 6 months
CONCLUSION
The application of vermicompost with chemical fertilizer with the young rubber trees cv. RRIM
600 found that 50 g/plant of 15-15-15 combined with 500 g/plant of vermicompost significantly
increase in K content and tend to promote the growth and N, P content after 6 months. While theⒸ ISERD151

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

application of 100 g/plant of 15-15-15 combined with 500 g/plant of vermicompost and 500 g/plant ofvermicompost are not significantly increase in leaves growth and N, P and K content. This work
provides a first step towards by using vermicompost as bio-fertilizers for improving rubber growthand nutrient uptake, soil fertility and sustainable crop production in nutrient poor systems.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was supported by Khon Kaen University Research Fund (2557), Incubation
Researcher Project (2555) and Knowledge Development of Rubber Tree in Northeast ResearchGroup. Institute of Research for Development (IRD) under Jeunes équipes associées à l'IRD (JEAI)
research project and the partnership Land Use changes and Soil Ecosystem Services (LUSES) arealso thanked.
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