Individual and Combined Effects of Vermicompost and Vermicompost Tea on Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) Anatomical Traits, Yield Components, and Seed Quality | ||
| Journal of Environmental Studies | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 30 October 2025 | ||
| Document Type: High quality original papers | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jesj.2025.427147.1151 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Ahmed Lotfy Wanas* 1; Amal Karam Abou El-Goud2; Aya Attia Badr2 | ||
| 1Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, Egypt | ||
| 2Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, New Damietta, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Vermicompost is a nutrient- and growth-promoter-rich biofertilizer that provides a holistic strategy for sustainable agriculture and environmental restoration. This study investigates the individual and combined effects of vermicompost (VC) and vermicompost tea (VCT) on the anatomical and yield attributes of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), compared to plants receiving 100% of the recommended NPK fertilizer. Treatments included soil amendments with VC at 60 g (VC1) and 120 g (VC2) per pot and foliar VCT applications three (VCT1) or six times (VCT2), along with their combinations. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with 9 treatments and 4 replicates. Results showed that all VC and VCT treatments significantly improved fenugreek’s anatomical traits, yield attributes, and seed quality compared to untreated plants, with combined treatments outperforming individual ones. The combined VC2 + VCT2 treatment was most effective, leading to the highest increases in stem vascular bundle thickness (21.93%) and width (26.53%), leaf vascular bundle thickness (57.66%,) and width (66.66%), and mesophyll tissue thickness (36.67%). This combination also yielded the greatest improvements in seed yield (616.94%), number of branches (110.53%), pods per plant (98.78%), seeds per pod (111.68%), 100-seed weight (70.26%), economical yield (230.50%), biological yield (91.40%), and harvest index (75.00%) in the first season. Seed quality mirrored yield improvements; with VC2 + VCT2 achieving the highest increases in seed carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and NPK levels. The study recommends using VC2 combined with VCT2 as an eco-friendly strategy for enhancing productivity and yield quality of fenugreek and other food and medicinal plants. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Anatomy; Bioconstituents; Fenugreek; Vermicompost Vermicompost-tea | ||
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