Browsing by Author "Ganesh, S"

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    Development and evaluation of organo-mineral fertilizer for enhancing the growth and yield of sesamum (Sesamum indicum L.)
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2025-02-11) Ganesh, S; Nishan, M A
    The study, entitled "Development and evaluation of organo-mineral fertilizer for enhancing the growth and yield of sesamum (Sesamum indicum L.)," was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, from 2022 to 2024. The main objectives were to standardize the nutrient sources for formulation of organo-mineral fertilizer and to assess its impact on growth, yield, and nutrient use efficiency of sesamum. The first part of the study, conducted at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani from October 2023 to March 2024, involved formulating two organo-mineral fertilizers (OMFs). OMF 1 composed primarily of cow dung powder, neem cake, groundnut cake, urea, rock phosphate, MOP, polyhalite, zinc sulphate, borax, humic acid, and seaweed powder, while OMF 2 was formulated with rice husk biochar as a base along with the same components as OMF 1 in varying ratios such that the final product had a NPK content of 6:3:6. The initial NPK content of OMF 1 was 6.58 per cent, 3.31 per cent and 6.55 per cent and for OMF 2 was 6.6 per cent, 3.27 per cent and 6.62 per cent respectively. A six-month storage study showed a reduction in nitrogen by 14.13 per cent, phosphorus by 2.14 per cent and potassium by 1.20 per cent in case of OMF 1 and 8.93 per cent nitrogen, 4.53 per cent phosphorus and 1.52 per cent potassium in case of OMF 2. The second part of the study was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani from October 2023 to January 2024 for analyzing the nutrient release patterns of OMFs using completely randomized block design with four treatments (T1-100% RDN as OMF 1, T2-100% RDN as OMF 2, T3-100% RDN as KAU POP, and T4-Control) and four replications each. At 15 days after incubation (DAI), T3 (conventional fertilizer) recorded higher nutrient release (90 per cent N, 80 per cent P, 90 per cent K), while OMF 1 released 53.18 per cent N, , 45.65 per cent P, and 40.40 per cent K and OMF 2 released 53.22 per cent N, 50 per cent P and 43.23 per cent K respectively. Though, T3 initially showed greater release, OMF 1 and OMF 2 had higher NPK release rates at 45, 60, 75, and 90 DAI. A crop response study was conducted in farmer’s field at Kakkamoola, Thiruvananthapuram, from January 2024 to April 2024, to evaluate the effect of OMFs on growth, yield, and nutrient use efficiency of sesamum. The field experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replications, using the sesamum variety Thilak. The treatments were T1: 100 per cent RDN as OMF 1, T2: 100 per cent RDN as OMF 2, T3: 75 per cent RDN as OMF 1, T4: 75 per cent RDN as OMF 1, T5: 50 per cent RDN as OMF 1, T6: 50 per cent RDN as OMF 2, T7: 100 per cent RDN as KAU POP (FYM @ 5 t ha-1, 30:15:30 kg NPK ha-1 as urea, rock phosphate and MOP), T8: control (no fertilizer application). All the treatments, except control, received FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹, while lime @ 350 kg ha-1 was applied only in T7. Application of 100 per cent RDN as KAU POP resulted in taller plants at 30 DAS (65.71 cm), 45 DAS (111.43 cm), 60 DAS (152.03 cm) and 90 DAS (157.37 cm) and was comparable with T2 at 30 DAS and 45 DAS. At 60 DAS and 90 DAS, plant height in both T1 and T2 was comparable with T7. Application of 100 per cent RDN as KAU POP (T7) resulted in higher leaf area at 30 DAS (740.49 cm²) and 45 DAS (1414.5 cm²), which was comparable to T2 and T1. At 60 DAS, T7 resulted in higher leaf area (2170.66 cm²) which was statistically on a par with T2 . The treatment, T7 also recorded higher dry matter production (3232.63 kg ha⁻¹), capsules per plant (77.93 nos.), seed yield (606.93 kg ha⁻¹) and haulm yield (2456.27 kg ha⁻¹), and was comparable with T2 (100% RDN as OMF 2). The harvest index was statistically similar for T2, T4, and T7 (0.198). Oil content in T1 and T2 were similar (44.63 %), which was significantly different from other treatments. At 30 DAS, T2 recorded higher chlorophyll content (2.02 mg g⁻¹ of fresh weight) and was comparable with T1 and T7. At 60 DAS, T7 recorded higher chlorophyll content (1.68 mg g⁻¹ of fresh weight) and was comparable with T1, T2, and T4. The treatment, T2 recorded higher nitrogen (85.04 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (16.08 kg ha⁻¹), and potassium (43.80 kg ha⁻¹) uptake and was on a par with T7. The treatment, T6 resulted in higher partial factor productivity (PFPNPK) which was comparable with T5. Agronomic efficiency (AENPK) was higher in T7 and was comparable with T2 and T4. The treatment, T4 achieved higher apparent recovery efficiency of nitrogen (AREN) and was comparable with T2 and T7. The treatment T2 recorded higher AREP and AREK, which was comparable with T4 and T7. Soil organic carbon was higher in T2 (1.14 per cent) and was comparable with T1 and T7. Available N and P were also higher in T2 (328.11 and 72.05 kg ha⁻¹) and was comparable with T1. Available K was significantly higher in T2 (287.63 kg ha⁻¹). The treatment, T2 resulted in higher actual gain of N (52.15 kg ha⁻¹), P (22.55 kg ha⁻¹), and K (35.43 kg ha⁻¹). The treatment, T7 recorded higher gross income (₹ 106213 ha-1) which was comparable with T2. The net income was higher in T2 (₹ 45123 ha-1) which was comparable with T1, T4 and T7. The treatment, T1 recorded higher BC ratio (1.85) which was on a par with T2 and T4. From the present study, it could be concluded that basal application of Rice husk biochar-based OMF prepared by mixing rice husk biochar (15 %), neem cake (6 %), groundnut cake (6 %), urea (16 %), rock phosphate (23 %), MOP (11 %), polyhalite (15%), zinc sulphate (2 %), borax (2 %), humic acid (2 %) and seaweed powder (2 %) on percentage weight basis increased oil yield, enhanced soil health and provided higher profitability compared to KAU POP. Hence, basal application of FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + Rice husk biochar-based OMF @ 500 kg ha-1 could be recommended as the productive, profitable and nutrient use efficient organo-mineral fertilizer option for sesamum.