Effect of Effective Microorganisms (EM) with Liquid Organic Fertilizer on the Growth of Pak Choy (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) Seedlings

Abstract

The effect of ‘effective microorganisms’ with liquid organic fertilizer on the growth and quality of Pak Choy seedlings was investigated. Several different methods of treating the seeds/seedling were employed in this study, including a control with no fertilizer; spraying liquid organic fertilizer (LOF); pouring LOF; soaking seeds in LOF; spraying the mixture of effective microorganisms (EM) and LOF; pouring EM+LOF; and soaked seeds in EM+LOF. Among the treatments, spraying LOF resulted in the greatest growth, with the root length of Pak choy being 1.1 times greater than that of the control after 15 and 30 days. After each harvest time, spraying LOF also had the highest root and shoot dry weight compared to other treatments, with1.27-fold and 1.11-fold increases compared to the control treatment, respectively. Meanwhile, soaking seeds in LOF increased vitamin C content by almost 2 times from the first to the second harvest. Spraying LOF+EM benefitted the Pak choy through the reduction of leaf senescence as the chlorophyll content of the vegetable remained almost the same after two harvests, compared to the obvious loss of chlorophyll content with other treatments.