A. Hatamzadeh - Dept. of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, P.O.Box ۴۱۶۳۵-۱۳۱۴, Rasht, Iran.
S. S. Shafyii Masouleh* - Dept. of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, P.O.Box ۴۱۶۳۵-۱۳۱۴, Rasht, Iran Corresponding author’s E-mail: shafyii@guilan.ac.ir

The effects of cattle manure vermicompost on the growth and productivity of cymbidium (Cymbidium sp.) plants were evaluated under shade conditions. Cymbidium was grown in a container medium including ۵۰% pumice, ۳۰% charcoal, ۱۰% vermiculite and ۱۰% peat moss, which was basic plant growth medium substituted with ۱۰%, ۲۰%, ۳۰% and ۴۰% (by volume) vermicompost. The control consisted of container medium alone without vermicompost. Plants were supplied regularly with a complete mineral nutrient solution. The greatest vegetative growth resulted from substitution of container medium with ۳۰% and ۴۰% vermicompost, and the lowest growth was in the potting mixtures containing ۰% vermicompost. Most flower buds and inflorescences occurred in the potting mixture containing ۳۰% and ۴۰% vermicompost, and the greatest length of inflorescences was observed in ۳۰% vermicompost. Cymbidium grown in a container medium substituted with ۳۰% and ۴۰% had the most and greatest number of flowers. Some of the cymbidium growth and productivity enhancement, resulting from substitution of container medium with vermicompost, may be explained by nutritional factors; however, other factors, such as plant- growth-regulators and humates, might have also been involved since all plants were supplied regularly with all required nutrients.   REFERENCES Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Babenko, A., Cannon, J., Galvis, P. and Metzger, J.D. (۲۰۰۸) Influences of vermicomposts, produced by earthworms and microorganisms from cattle manure, food waste and paper waste, on the germination, growth and flowering of petunias in the greenhouse. Appl. Soil Eco. ۳۹, ۹۱-۹۹. Atiyeh, R.M., Edwards, C.A., Subler, S. and Metzger, J.D. (۲۰۰۱) Pig manure vermicompost as a component of a horticultural bedding plant medium: effects on physicochemical properties and plant growth. Biores. Tech. ۷۸, ۱۱- ۲۰. Atiyeh, R.M., Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A. and Metzger, J.D. (۲۰۰۲) The influence of earthworm-processed pig manure on the growth and productivity of marigolds. Biores. Tech. ۸۱, ۱۰۳- ۱۰۸. Bachman, G.R. and Metzger, J.D. (۲۰۰۸) Growth of bedding plants in commercial potting substrate amended with vermicompost. Biores. Tech. ۹۹, ۳۱۵۵-۳۱۶۱. Gajalakshmi, S. and Abbasi, S.A. (۲۰۰۲) Effect of the application of water hyacinth compost/vermicompost on the growth and flowering of Crossandra undulaefolia, and on several vegetables. Biores. Tech. ۸۵, ۱۹۷- ۱۹۹. Gutie´rrez-Miceli, F.A., Moguel-Zamudio, B., Abud-Archila, M., Gutie´rrez-Oliva, V.F. and Dendooven, L. (۲۰۰۸) Sheep manure vermicompost supplemented with a native diazotrophic bacteria and mycorrhizas for maize cultivation. Biores. Tech. ۹۹, ۷۰۲۰-۷۰۲۶. Nikbakht, A., Kafi, M., Babalar, M., Xia, Y.P., Luo, A. and Etemadi, N. (۲۰۰۸) Effect of humic acid on plant growth, nutrition uptake and postharvest life of Gerbera. J. of Plant Nutr. ۳۱, ۲۱۵۵- ۲۱۶۷.  Paradelo, R., Moldes, A.B. and Barral, M.T. (۲۰۰۸) Properties of slate mining wastes incubated with grape marc compost under laboratory conditions. Waste Manag. ۱-۶. Singh, R., Sharma, R.R., Kumar, S., Gupta, R.K. and Patil, R.T. (۲۰۰۸) Vermicompost substitution influences growth, physiological disorders, fruit yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.). Biores. Tech. ۹۹, ۸۵۰۷-۸۵۱۱. Smith, C.J., Bond, W.J. and Wang, W. (۱۹۹۹) Waste- free: vermicompost to improve agricultural soils. CSIRO Land and Water, ACT ۲۶۰۱, Australia. pp. ۱-۲۱. Vetal, A.A., Dutt, M. and Sonwane, P.C. (۲۰۰۳) Relative performance of Lilium (Lilium speciosum) in various substrates under polyhouse conditions. Crop Res. ۲۵, ۷۸-۸۲.

Cymbidium, Flowering, Humates, Nutritional factors, Vermicompost