Effect of Seaweed Liquid Fertilizer on Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum

Abstract

Millets are small-seeded grasses belonging to the family Poaceae that help in human and animal nourishment. They are mostly grown by using chemical fertilizers which are depleting soil fertility. Organic fertilizers are eco-friendly and help to enhance the growth and development of plants thereby maintaining soil health. Seaweed liquid fertilizer (SLF) are organic fertilizers that can be used to control the side effects caused by harmful chemical fertilizers. The present study was carried out to check the effects of seaweed liquid fertilizer on the growth and development of millets. Different concentrations of seaweed liquid fertilizer (0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) were prepared from Sargassum cinerum, Ulva intestinalis, and Padina tetrastromatica, which were tested on Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum. Growth parameters like root length, shoot height, flowering-fruiting, and biochemical analysis like proteins were analyzed by using seaweed liquid fertilizer and chemical fertilizer. Plants treated with 0.50% concentration of seaweed liquid fertilizer showed higher protein content. Total chlorophyll was found to be higher in treated plants than in control plants. Flowering and fruiting were observed earlier in seaweed liquid fertilizer treated plants. This concludes that seaweed extracts can be used as a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers, which plays a significant role in the holistic growth enhancement of plants.