Effect of Compost Amendment on Plant Growth and Yield of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Aim: To assess the effect of different levels of compost on plant growth and yield of radish.

Study Design: The pot experiment was carried out using a randomised complete block design with four treatments and five replicates.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Horticultural Centre, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia, between September and November, 2016.

Methods: The treatments were 25%, 50%, 100% and 0% (control) compost: soil mixture designated as SL, SM, SH and S. respectively. Data collected included: plant height, stem girth, root length, fresh plant weight, and dry plant weight.

Results: No significant differences were found among the various levels of compost with respect to all the measured parameters. All the levels of compost performed significantly better than the no compost control in all parameters measured.

Conclusion: Compost improved crop growth and yield. Since the 25% compost gave results similar to the 50% and the 100% compost, it can be concluded that the 25% compost provided enough soil nutrients for plant growth and yield. The results merit further work, especially on large scale field studies using lower levels of compost below those in the current study.