Eco-efficient synergy of vermicompost and biochar in coir-based substrate enhances cherry tomato performance under urban rooftop garden conditions

Abstract

In cities with limited area, urban agriculture as rooftop gardening provides a significant contribution to supply safe food and nutrition. Plant growing media are the major concern and coir-based substrate is becoming popular due to light weight, better water retention and thermos-buffering capacity, rich in macro- and micronutrients as well as other beneficial properties. In view of this, this study was conducted to evaluate how the growth, physiology, and yield of cherry tomato under urban rooftop garden were influenced by the synergistic and residual effects of vermicompost and biochar in coir-based substrate. The experiments were conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications and six treatments combinations of vermicompost and biochar composed with different ratios of cocopeat at two subsequent years. Results demonstrated that combined vermicompost and biochar application significantly improved growth, physiological traits, and yield relative to vermicompost-only treatments. The treatment consisted with 67% cocopeat + 30% vermicompost + 3% biochar increased plant growth, physiological and root traits, and contributing yield traits resulting in substantial increases in fruit number (15.42%) and total yield (26.28%) plant-1 in contrast to control. These changes have been linked to increased nutrient supply, water retention and microbial activity in the growing media. This study provides evidence in support of the combined use of vermicompost and biochar to maximize urban rooftop cherry tomato performance, enhancing urban farming strategies that boast both resilience and resource efficiency.