Browsing by Author "Rohith A K."

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    Multinutrient pellets for organic farming in rice (Oryza sativa L.) for acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad
    (Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2023-04-04) Rohith A K.; Biju Joseph
    The current work entitled “Multinutrient pellets for organic farming in rice (Oryza sativa) for acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad” was conducted at the Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani and Rice Research Station, Moncompu, during the year 2022. In this study, organic multinutrient pellets were prepared and investigated for its nutrient release characteristics through laboratory incubation study. Simultaneously a field experiment was conducted during puncha season in a randomized block design with Pournami rice variety to evaluate the effect of organic multinutrient pellets on organic rice cultivation in acid sulphate soil. Pellets were prepared using N, P and K organic nutrient sources permitted in NPOP, taking into account the nutritional requirement of rice and the fertility status of the experimental soil. The pellets were P1 (blood meal +rock phosphate +potassium sulphate), P2 (blood meal +rock phosphate +langbeinite), P3 (blood meal +steamed bone meal +potassium sulphate), P4 (blood meal +steamed bone meal +langbeinite), P5 (groundnut cake +rock phosphate +potassium sulphate), P6 (groundnut cake +rock phosphate +langbeinite), P7 (groundnut cake +steamed bone meal +potassium sulphate), and P8 (groundnut cake +steamed bone meal +langbeinite).Bentonite clay and humic acid were used as binding agents. On the characterization of pellets, all the pellets were found physically stable with high water holding capacity and bulk density. N content (8.47) was highest in pellet 3 (blood meal +steamed bone meal +potassium sulphate) while pH (5.98), organic carbon (23.13%), P (4.24%), K (4.21%) and Ca (5.08%) content were highest in pellet 1 (blood meal +rock phosphate +potassium sulphate). A laboratory incubation experiment was carried out to investigate the nutrient release pattern of the pellets after addition to soil. The organic multinutrient pellets were added into pots containing 5kg of acid sulphate soil, depending on the weight of soil taken and the nutritional requirement of rice. The pots were maintained at saturated condition. Samples were drawn at 15th, 30th, 45th, and 60th day of incubation, and analyzed for chemical parameters such as pH, EC, organic carbon, available N, P, 177 K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, dehydrogenase activity, humic acid and fulvic acid using standard procedures. Soil pH and EC increased with days of incubation while organic carbon decreased. The availability of all nutrients increased from 15th day to 60th day and the maximum value was observed on 60th day of incubation. The dehydrogenase activity of soil and humic acid content increased with days of incubation while fulvic acid content decreased. In the field experiment 11 treatments were included such as, T1- Organic nutrient management as per KAU POP recommendation (organic crops), T2- Nutrient management as per KAU POP recommendations, crops 2016. T3- Organic nutrient management using pellet I, T4- Organic nutrient management using pellet II, T5- Organic nutrient management using pellet III, T6- Organic nutrient management using pellet IV, T7- Organic nutrient management using Pellet V, T8- Organic nutrient management using pellet VI, T9- Organic nutrient management using pellet VII, T10- Organic nutrient management using pellet VIII, T11- Absolute control. Analysis of post-harvest soil for chemical properties showed that, highest quantity of available Ca (410 mg kg-1), Mg (116 mg kg-1), S (19.83 mg kg-1) and P (24.59kg ha 1 ) were reported in T4. While the highest quantity of available N (291.68 kg ha-1), K (174.47 kg ha-1), Mn (2.54 mg kg-1) and Cu (1.25 mg kg-1) were observed in T2 followed by T3. T10 reported highest values in B (0.40 mg kg-1) and Zn (2.00mg kg-1). pH (5.21) and EC (0.120 dS m-1) of soil were the highest in T4 and T3 respectively. Regarding the nutrient content and uptake in plants, the treatment T2 (nutrient management as per KAU POP recommendations, crops 2016) registered the highest content and uptake of the most nutrients, which was followed by T3 (organic nutrient management using blood meal, rockphosphate and potassium sulphate) and T4 (organic nutrient management using blood meal, rock phosphate and langbeinite). The content and uptake of N and P and the uptake of K were highest in the T2. T3 recorded the highest content of N in grain, uptake of N in straw and the content and uptake of K in grain and straw. 178 Organic multinutrient pellet prepared using blood meal, rock phosphate and potassium sulphate on application in T3 significantly influenced the number of tillers (296.52), number of panicles meter-2 (280.27), spikelets panicle-1(111.67) and height of plants (100.53 cm) and provided highest value for them. Length of panicle (17.33 cm), filled grain percentage (90.07%) and 1000 grain weight (27.30g) were highest in T2 (nutrient management as per KAU POP recommendations, crops 2016). Chlorophyll content (1.23 mg g-1) was found highest in T6 due to the application of pellets prepared with langbeninte which contained magnesium. Nutrient management using organic multinutrient pellets had considerable impact on grain yield and straw yield. Highest grain yield (6167 kg ha-1) and straw yield (9012 kg ha-1) were recorded in T2 (nutrient management as per KAU POP recommendations, crops 2016) which was followed by T3 (organic nutrient management using blood meal, rock phosphate and potassium sulphate). The nutrient use efficiency of major nutrients were found to be highest in T2 receiving inorganic fertilizers, which was on par with the treatment T3 receiving blood meal, rock phosphate and potassium sulphate. Organic multinutrient pellets significantly influenced harvest index of rice. T2 and T3 registered the highest index value (0.41), while T4, T6 and T10 reported harvest index of 0.40. T2 with KAU POP recommendation of inorganic fertilizers reported the highest BC ratio of 3.79. However, T3 (Organic nutrient management using blood meal, rockphosphate and potassium sulphate) was on par with T2 with BC ratio of 3.02. Organic nutrient management in rice can be easily done by using multinutrient pellets prepared using nutrient sources permitted under NPOP. Pellets prepared using bloodmeal, rock phosphate and sulphate of potash (T3) produced on par yield to the treatment receiving inorganic fertilizers (T2). It was able to significantly improve the uptake of most of the nutrients in plant and could also maintain significantly higher levels of nutrients in the post-harvest soil. T2 was superior with respect to economics of cultivation with a BC ratio of 3.79 compared to a BC ratio of 3.02 in T3. It can be concluded that T3 (organic nutrient management using blood meal, rock phosphate 179 and potassium sulphate) is a viable option for nutrient management in organically grown paddy in acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad. 180