Impact of rice straw composts on microbial population, plant growth, nutrient uptake and root-knot nematode under greenhouse conditions
Keywords:
Rice straw compost, nutrient uptake, plant growth, physicochemical properties, root-knot nematode.Abstract
The effect of adding various rice straw composts on the rhizosphere soil microorganisms, some
physicochemical properties, plant growth and nutrient uptake as well as plant parasitic root-knot
nematode was evaluated. All the five types of compost showed a high fertilizer value when applied at
the rate of 5% (w/w) as indicated by ameliorating the soil microbial population, chemical properties,
plant growth response and subsequently the productivity of sandy soil comparing to the mineral
fertilizer. Increasing compost application rate resulted in parallel significant enhancement. Addition of
composts at 5% in mishmash with half dose of mineral fertilizer significantly improved all the tested
criteria. Composts at rates of 5, 7.5% resulted in reducing root-knot nematode population by 79, 84%,
respectively and actualized prodigious depletion in egg production. The most prominent composts
which surpassed all treatments including the mineral fertilizer were those contained vinasse.

