MSc.

Site Specific Nutrient management is a technology in precision fanning that
offers chance for farmers to achieve the targeted yield taking into consideration the
potential yield of the crop by application of apt amount of fertilizers. The technology
is farmers' friendly, eco-friendly and also consumer friendly.
In Indian scenario wherein farmers are suffering from yield losses up to 40%
due to micronutrient deficiency of soils mainly zinc and boron deficiencies are the
yield limiting factors of production. Kerala the soils are low in basic ions that are
posing serious threat to crop production. The Judicious application of chemical
fertilizers along with micronutrients is necessary for sustainable crop production.
The present study "Site Specific Nutrient Management in" Chilli (Capsicum
annuum.L.) in Kalliyoor Panchayath Of .Kerala" was carried out to satisfy the
objectives viz. study the spatial variability of area, to find outtheindigenous nutrient
supply via omission trials, fix a target yield based on the potential yield of the crop
and formulate a site specific nutrient recommendation to obtain the targeted yield.
In order to understand the spatial variability survey was conducted at 25 sites of
Kalliyoor panchayath. The results of survey showed that the soils showed wide
variation in terms of soil physical and chemical properties. Soil phosphorus status
,
was high in all cases other nutrient concentration ranged from low to high.
The spatial variability necessitated carrying out the omission trials at four
different sites that were ranked according to the nutrient status into high, medium first
level, medium second level and low fertility soils. From the omission trials the
recovery fraction and, indigenous nutrient supply were calculated. Utilising all these
parameters in QUEFT model SSNJ\:1.--tre tments were fixed.
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The high yield target was fixed at 16 t ha that was 50% of the potential yield.
The nutrient recommendation generated for HYT was 104.8: 13.6: 201 kg N, P205
and K20 ha-I. Medium yield target was fixed at 168:51: 230 kg N, P205 and K20 ha-
I. Taking into account micronutrient and secondary nutrient deficiencies in the soil. In
high yield target soil application of micro nutrients and secondary nutrients along with
application of 1 % foliar spray of boron was recommended. Micronutrients for soil
application were boron @ 5 kg ha-I in form of borax, zinc @ 20 kg ha-I in form of
zinc sulphate. Secondary nutrients applied were calcium @ 30 kg ha-I in form of
CaS04, magnesium @ 7.5 kg ha-I in form of MgS04. The requirement of sulphur
was met from soil applied zinc sulphate, calcium sulphate and magnesium sulphate.
In medium yield target only soil application of micro and secondary nutrients along
with the application of QUEFT generated recommendations for the crop; POP +
micronutrient recommendations were evaluated. Simultaneously an absolute control
was also carried out.
Soil analysis was carried out for all the physical and chemical properties of
the soil initially before the crop was raised, and after each harvest. So that change in
soil properties as a result of application of treatments could be evaluated, since the
application of fertilizer coincided with each harvest.
The results derived from the experiment proved the superiority of SSNM over
other treatments with respect to the yield major nutrient and micronutrient uptake.
,
Where high yield target registered a cumulative yield of 17. 32 tons, medium yield
target registered a cumulative yield of 11.75 tons this was _much superior to
POP+SNMN that registered an yield of 9.83 tons, or the package of practice
recommendation that registered an yield of only 8.3 tons . Farmers practice
registered inferior yield data of only 5.2 tons. The study revealed that the site
specific nutrient management is an efficient technology to increase the yield of crops
and hence provide additional income to the farmers; this technique also provides a

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scope of increasing the yield without over application of fertilizers that would result
in deterioration of the soil physical and chemical properties in long run.