Evidence of the effects of the gongo compound on the development of vegetable crops.
vermicomposting; organic substrates, seedling production.
The management of millipedes through "gongocomposting" has been employed as a viable technology for transforming lignocellulosic plant residues into stable organic matter—gongocompost—an agricultural input suitable as a high-quality substrate for vegetable seedling production. Empirical observations and reports from partner farmers suggest that gongocompost may have beneficial effects on various cultivation stages, such as seedling emergence and development. These effects are often linked to physiological phenomena mediated by plant hormones—a mechanism widely documented regarding the bioactivity of humic substances in vermicomposts—but they may also stem from microbial activity, as gongocomposts are known to be heavily colonized by plant growth-promoting bacteria. This study aimed to gather evidence regarding the positive effects of gongocompost on these developmental stages in vegetable crops, comparing it with other widely used or commercial organic substrates. The agronomic performance of gongocompost was compared against substrates derived from vermicomposting (SIPA), traditional composting (Organosolo), and commercial sources (Carolina Soil and Biomix). Four vegetable species were tested: lettuce (*Lactuca sativa* L.), arugula (*Eruca sativa*), cucumber (*Cucumis sativus* L.), and eggplant (*Solanum melongena*). Emergence tests showed that gongocompost resulted in a significantly shorter mean emergence time compared to the SIPA and Organosolo substrates, regardless of the crop. Gongocomposts exhibited comparatively high levels of N and Ca. In general, plants grown in gongocompost excelled in root characteristics—such as volume, root length, and surface area—as well as in shoot biomass accumulation. For most of the variables tested, the gongocomposts outperformed the commercial substrates and were either superior or equivalent to the vermicompost-based substrate (SIPA).