Validation of ancient liquid organics - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Panchagavya</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kunapajala </i>as plant growth promoters

Abstract

Vedic literatures (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Vrikshayurveda</i>) have clearly outlined a systematized agricultural practices that insisted on the use of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">panchagavya</i> (a mixture of the five products of cow in a specific ratio) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">kunapajala</i> (decomposed product of fish or animals in liquid form) to enhance the biological efficiency of crop plants and the production of fruits and vegetables. In the present investigation seedlings of chili, tomato and cow pea were treated with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">panchagavya</i> (T₁), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">kunapajala</i> (T₂) and combination of both (T₃) along with control (plain water). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Panchagavya</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">kunapajala</i> (using the fish Bombay duck) were prepared as per <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Vrikshayurveda</i> and used on seedlings as soil drenching at the rate of 3% and 1%, respectively. All the experimental seedlings of each crops recorded higher rates of linear growth of both shoots and roots in all the three treatments over the controls. Combination of both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">panchagavya</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Kunapajala</i> showed best results in influencing all the growth parameters as well as yield of the vegetables. Leaf chlorophyll content was also consistently higher by the application of two organics and that was ultimately reflected on enhanced fruit yield of the crops. Application of <i><span style="mso-bidi-language:#0845; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">panchagavya</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-language:#0845;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> in all the three vegetables significantly induced production of defense related enzymes such as Polyphenol oxidase that could have enhanced the induced systemic resistance in the plant body, which in turn would have reduced the disease incidence.

</span>