Effect of Organic Amendments on the Growth and Yield Performance of Naked Oat (Avena nuda L.)

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of organic amendments—vermiwash, seaweed extract, and cow dung—on the morphological parameters of naked oat (Avena nuda L.), an important fodder crop in India. The field experiment was conducted at Amity University Farm during the rabi season of 2024–25 in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six treatments (T1–T6) and one replication. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Treatments included control (T1), cow dung (T2), seaweed extract (T3), vermiwash (T4), cow dung + seaweed extract (T5), and cow dung + seaweed extract + vermiwash (T6). Parameters assessed were plant height, tiller count, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index (LAI), and yield. Results showed that T6 significantly outperformed other treatments across all parameters. Specifically, T6 increased mean plant height by 45.0%, tiller count by 55.0%, dry matter by 65.1%, and LAI by 63.6% compared to the control. Additionally, treatments containing vermiwash showed markedly lower aphid-related yield losses (10%) compared to treatments lacking vermiwash (up to 30%), with T6 achieving the highest net grain yield (1296 g/plot, adjusted for aphid-induced losses).