Waste management is a recycling practice in which composting of waste is effective technology in making organic fertilizer availability for crop farming as well as in minimising the waste disposal problem. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of vermicompost prepared from water hyacinth (Eichhornia sp.), leaf litters and cow dung on growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted at the Botanical garden of Annamalai University during September, 2011 to January 2013. Vermicomposting of organic wastes was carried out by using surface burrowing type of earth worms (Eudrilus eugineae). The pot experiment was conducted with four treatments via T1-Control, T2- Cow dung vermicompost, T3 – Leaf litter vermicompost and T4 – Eichhornia vermicompost. The results showed significant variations in plant vegetative and reproductive parameters on par with physico-chemical properties of different vermicompost. The vegetative growth characters of okra such as plant height, number of leaves per plant and reproductive parameters like number of days of flowering, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight and number of fruits per plant were observed at 20th day, 40th day, and 60th day from the date of planting. There was maximum value of growth parameters observed in leaf litter vermicompost followed by Eichhornia vermicompost, cow dung vermicompost and control. Yield parameters also showed the similar trend of growth parameters. The investigation clearly reveals that the biochemical properties of vermicompost play major role in growth and yield of okra.
