Effect of Vermicompost Using Different Leguminous Crops as Nitrogen Source on the Performance of Ratooned Kangkong

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Organic Agriculture Project of CapSU Burias, Mambusao, Capiz, to determine the effect of vermicompost from different plant sources with three ratoons using RCBD with three replications. The treatments used were: Treatment B1 – Azolla, Treatment B2– Trichantera, Treatment B3– Kakawate, and Treatment B4– Mixed (Azolla, Trichantera, and Kakawate). The data were subjected to Analysis of Variance using STAR software and LSD for mean comparisons. The study revealed that among the growth and yield of kangkong, only the width of the widest leaf, weight of the marketable plant, and a number of the marketable plant was affected by the application of vermicompost different leguminous crops as N source. Tricanthera and mixed leguminous crops as sources of N in vermicompost, when applied to kangkong, gave the best result in the mentioned parameters. Likewise, the number of ratooning affected all the growth and yield parameters. Kangkong, when for the second time up to the third time, gave the heaviest and most number of marketable plants. The total number of pests that infested the kangkong was not influenced by the application of vermicompost with different leguminous crops as a source of N. Kangkong applied with vermicompost with trichanthera as N source gave the highest net profit (Php 1488.80). The kangkong applied with vermicompost with kakawate as N source has the lowest net profit with only Php 749.00. Leguminous crops can be used in vermicomposting as an N source and can be applied to rationed kangkong.