TY - BOOK AU - Jayakrishna J AU - Manorama Thampatti, K C (Guide) TI - Evaluation of thermochemical digest of degradable waste for container cultivation of chilli U1 - 631.4 PY - 2017/// CY - Vellayani PB - Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture KW - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry N1 - MSc N2 - An investigation entitled “Evaluation of thermochemical digest of degradable waste for container cultivation of chilli” was conducted at the Department of Soil Science and Agrl.Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2014-16. The objective was to develop and standardize a plant growth medium based on custom blended thermochemical digest of degradable waste for container cultivation of chilli. The investigation comprised of two parts, one experiment for the standardization of growth medium based on thermochemical digest of degradable waste (TD) and the second for standardization of the rate and frequency of application of custom blended TD fortified with fertilizers for yield maximization in chillies. This was accomplished through two pot culture experiments with chilli variety Vellayani Athulya. In the first part, 11 treatments comprising growth medium components viz. thermochemical digest of degradable waste (TD), coirpith compost (CC) / cocopeat (CP) and soil in different ratios (1:1:1; 2:1:1; 1:2:1; 2:2:1,1:0:1 and 2:0:1) were evaluated along with the normal potting medium (Soil: Sand: FYM -2:1:1). The best growth medium from the above experiment was selected for second experiment. In the second experiment, three levels of NPK viz. 75%, 100% and 125% of POP at two levels of application frequency (weekly and biweekly intervals except for P) were evaluated. The nutrients were applied through fortified TD as per the treatments. The results of the first experiment revealed that treatment effects were significant. The treatment T3 (1:2:1) showed highest values for plant height, no. of primary branches per plant, no. of fruits per plant, length of fruit and weight of fruit. Highest shoot weight, dry matter, root weight and root volume were observed for treatment T7 (1:2:1). The treatment T10 (2:0:1) showed lowest values for the same. While evaluating the soil nutrient status, it was observed that the available nutrient status increased with levels of TD. The treatment T3 (1:2:1) maintained lowest values of available P, K, Ca and Mg at final harvest. The treatment T3 (1:2:1) recorded highest nutrient content in fruit and shoot compared to other treatments except Fe. Treatment T10 (2:0:1) recorded the lowest values for all nutrients except Fe. Mite attack was noticed and measures were taken to control it. Economic analysis revealed that treatment T3 (1:2:1) is having the highest B:C ratio. Hence treatment T3 having TD, coirpith compost and soil in the ratio 1:2:1 was rated as the best treatment with regard to yield and economics and hence selected for second part. In the second part, the individual effects of rate and frequency of fertilizer application were significant for most of the biometric, root and yield characteristics of chilli while only a few of their interaction effects were significant. Among the frequency of application, the weekly application (P1) and among the rate, 100% POP (F2) were found to be significantly superior to others with regard to growth, yield and nutrient content. The treatment combination, weekly application @ 100% POP (P1F2) recorded the highest values and (biweekly application @ 125% POP (P2F3) showed the lowest values for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B. The interaction effects were not significant for most of the soil parameters and fruit and shoot nutrient concentration. In economic analysis the individual as well as interaction effects were highly significant and followed the same trend. The investigation revealed that the ideal composition for growth medium (using thermochemical digest of degradable waste) for container cultivation of chillies is thermochemical digest, coirpith compost and soil in 1:2:1 proportion. For yield maximization in chilli, the thermochemical digest of degradable waste has to be fortified with N P K fertilizers @ 100% of POP and to be applied at weekly intervals @ 25 g per plant UR - http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810142559 ER -