?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Foliar+spraying+of+vermicompost+extracts%3A+effects+on+fruit+quality+and+indications+of+late-blight+suppression+of+field-grown+tomatoes&rft.creator=Zaller%2C+Johann+G&rft.subject=Crop+health%2C+quality%2C+protection&rft.subject=+Composting+and+manuring&rft.description=The+effect+of+foliar+sprays+with+aqueous+vermicompost+extracts+on+growth%2C+yields%2C+morphological+and+chemical+fruit+quality+and+natural+infection+with+late+blight+disease+(Phytophthora+infestans(Mont.)+de+Bary))+on+three+tomato+varieties+(Lycopersicon+esculentum+Mill.%2C+cv.+Diplom+F1%2C+cv.+Matina%2C+cv.+Rheinlands+Ruhm)+was+investigated+in+a+field+experiment.+Extracts+were+prepared+of+vermicompost+produced+from+fruit%2C+vegetable+and+cotton+waste+by+redworms+(Eisenia+fetida+Sav.%2C+Lumbricidae)%3B+tap+water+served+as+control+treatment.+Foliar+application+(spraying)+of+vermicompost+extracts+did+not+affect+plant+growth%2C+biomass+or+nutrient+allocation%2C+or+yields+and+number+of+fruits+of+the+three+tomato+varieties%3B+however%2C+for+several+dates+it+significantly+reduced+the+number+of+flowers+produced.+Foliar+vermicompost+spraying+either+increased+or+decreased+peel+firmness+dependent+on+tomato+variety+and+increased+fruit+circumference+consistently+as+well+as+contents+of+nitrogen+but+decreased+L-ascorbic+acid+compared+with+water+sprayed+fruits.+All+other+measured+parameters+of+fruit+quality+(dry+matter%2C+C%2C+N%2C+P%2C+K%2C+Ca%2C+Mg%2C+glucose+and+fructose+content)+were+similar+for+vermicompost+and+water+sprayed+plants.+%0D%0ANatural+infection+of+leaves%2C+stems+and+fruits+by+P.+infestans+was+generally+very+low+under+the+experimental+conditions%3B+however%2C+across+varieties%2C+only+half+as+many+vermicompost+sprayed+plants+showed+clear+signs+of+P.+infestans+infection+as+water+sprayed+plants%3B+the+severity+of+the+infection+was+unaffected+by+the+two+spraying+treatments.+In+conclusion%2C+these+results+suggest+that+the+use+of+vermicompost+might+be+considered+more+in+organic+farming+not+only+as+a+substitute+for+peat+in+potting+media+but+also+as+foliar+sprays+for+fertilization+and+biological+disease+prevention.&rft.date=2006&rft.type=Journal+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10450%2F1%2FZaller_2006BAH.pdf&rft.identifier=Zaller%2C+Johann+G+(2006)+Foliar+spraying+of+vermicompost+extracts%3A+effects+on+fruit+quality+and+indications+of+late-blight+suppression+of+field-grown+tomatoes.+Biological+Agriculture+%26+Horticulture%2C+24%2C+pp.+165-180.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10450%2F