Comparative Evaluation of Fish Tonics Prepared from Different Organic Waste Materials and Their Effectiveness on The Growth and Yield of Okra and Amaranthus

Mafas Fathima Ishra¹, Rajendram Thivyatharsan²

¹ Student, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.

² Senior Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.   

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable agriculture has created a need for environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic fertilizers. Fish-based liquid fertilizer (fish tonic), produced from organic waste, offers a promising solution by recycling biodegradable materials into nutrient-rich bio-fertilizers. This study aimed to: (i) evaluate the effectiveness of four fish tonic formulations prepared from different kitchen waste materials on the growth and yield of Amaranthus (Amaranthus spp.) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus); (ii) compare crop-specific responses to these formulations; and (iii) identify the most effective formulation for sustainable vegetable production. Four treatments were tested: fish waste alone (T1), fish waste with coconut water (T2), fish waste with eggshells (T3), and fish waste with fruit and vegetable residues (T4), along with a control. The experiment was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates for each crop. Growth parameters, including stem height, number of leaves, and branches, were measured periodically, while yield attributes were recorded at harvest. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Key findings revealed that T4 consistently produced the best performance in both crops. In Amaranthus, T4 resulted in the highest number of leaves (38), branches (13), stem height (45 cm), and biomass (71.53 g) – representing increases of 52%, 62.5%, 47.5%, and 51.5%, respectively, over T1. In Okra, T4 recorded the greatest stem height (24.46 cm), pod number (4), and biomass (104.33 g), while T2 produced the highest number of leaves (19). Fish waste alone (T1) showed the lowest performance in both crops. The findings indicate that enriching fish tonic with fruit and vegetable residues improves fertilizer efficiency, enhances crop productivity, and promotes sustainable waste recycling. Based on these results, it is recommended that farmers adopt T4 (fish waste enriched with fruit and vegetable residues) as a low-cost organic fertilizer for vegetable production. Small-scale farmers can prepare this formulation using locally available kitchen waste, reducing reliance on expensive synthetic fertilizers while improving soil health and crop yields.      

Keywords: Abelmoschus esculentus, Amaranthus viridis, Fish tonic, Sustainable crop production, Waste management

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