Evaluating plant height and leaf proliferation of solanum melongena: impact of 5% SMC integration versus traditional red soil cultivation

The study compared the leaf count and height of Solanum melongena plants grown in Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC 5%) with those grown in red soil. In a greenhouse shed, the experimental group was alone with a temperature ranging from 20 °C to 28 °C and RH of 68–80%, whereas the control group was exposed to the environment. The experimental group consisted of SMC 5% mixed with 95% red soil and the control group consisted of red soil (100%). Each group was taken as 20 samples, and the total number of samples was 40. The higher results were found in the addition of SMC (5%) over a red soil cultivation on Solanum melongena plant.The t-test for independent sample revealed that both group results are of statistical significance, with p-values (> 0.05) for leaf count (0.011) and plant height (0.03). The current study determined that adding SMC to red soil increases calcium content, which is required for the leaf count and height of solanum melongena plants.The use of Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) also helps to increase the leaf count and height of the Solanum melongena plant.