Leachate from vermicomposting contains large amounts of plant nutrients and can be used as liquid
fertilizer, but normally diluted to avoid plant damage. The amount of nutrients applied is thus reduced so that an additional
fertilizer is required. We investigated how dilution of vermicompost leachate combined with different concentrations of
NPK triple 17 fertilizer, and polyoxyethylene tridecyl alcohol as dispersant and polyethylene nonylphenol as adherent to increase efficiency of
fertilizer uptake, affected sorghum plant development. The vermicomposting leachate with pH 7.8 and electrolytic conductivity 2.6 dS m
−1, contained 834 mg K
+ l
−1, 247 mg
17 width=""36""/> l
−1 and 168 mg
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l
−1, was free of pathogens and resulted in a 65 % germination index. Vermicompost leachate can be used as liquid
fertilizer for the cultivation of sorghum without dilution and mixed with 140–
170 g l
−1 of NPK
triple 17 fertilizer and 2–3 ml
−1 of dispersant and 0–1 ml l
−1 adherent. It was found that vermicompost leachate stimulated plant development, but fertilization with NPK was required for maximum growth.