An Asian Journal of Soil Science

R. Singaravel ¹, D. Elayaraja ¹, K. Viswanathan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram (T.N.), IN

Abstract

To increase the production of medicinal senna in sandy soils of coastal agro ecosystem, integrated nutrient management treatments involving inorganic fertilizers, organic manures namely FYM, vermicompost, humic acid and microbial consortium were evaluated. The intial soil was typic udipsamments and represented sandy texture and non-saline nature. In Completely Randomized Design, the following treatments were evaluated with three replications using senna as test crop. T₁ - Absolute control, T₂ - Recommended NPK, T₃ - FYM alone @ 12.5 t ha^-1, T₄- Vermicompost alone @ 4.0 t ha^-1, T₅- 75 % NPK + FYM @ 12.5 t ha^-1, T₆ - 50 % NPK + FYM @ 12.5 t ha^-1, T₇ - 75 % NPK + vermicompost @ 4.0 t ha^-1, T₈ - 50 % NPK + vermicompost @ 4.0 t ha^-1, T₉ - T₅+ ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + humic acid foliar spray @ 0.3 %, T₁₀-T₆ + ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + humic acid foliar spray @ 0.3% , T₁₁ - T₇+ ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 +Humic acid foliar spray @ 0.3% , T₁₂ - T₈+ ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + humic acid foliar spray @ 0.3% . Bio inoculants, Azospirillum and phosphobacterium were applied to all the treatments excluding absolute control and recommended NPK. The results of the study indicated that the application of INM significantly improved the growth and yield of senna in coastal sandy soil. Among the treatments, application of 75 % NPK fertilizer + vermicompost @ 4.0 t ha^-1 + ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 with humic acid foliar spray ranked best in recording the higher growth character, leaf and pod yield of senna and available soil nutrients.

Keywords

Senna, Integrated Nutrient Management, Sandy Soil.

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R. Singaravel ¹, D. Elayaraja ¹, K. Viswanathan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram (T.N.), IN

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University during Feb.-April, 2015. The initial characteristics of experimental soil revealed the saline nature having pH 8.02 and EC 4.26 dS m^-1. The available NPK status were low and DTPA extractable Zn and Mn were below the critical limit. The design of experiment was Completely Randomised Design and the treatments were: T₁ - NPK (35: 23: 23 kg N: P₂O₅: K₂O ha^-1), T₂- NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + MnSO₄ @ 5 kg ha^-1, T₃ - T₂ + FYM @ 12.5 t ha^-1, T₄- T₂+ vermicompost @ 4 t ha^-1, T₅- T₂+ humic acid @ 20 kg ha^-1. Growth regulator sea weed extract was applied as 0.5 per cent foliar at vegetative and flowering stage for all the treatments except control. The treatments were replicated four times and sesame var TMV- 3 was grown as test crop. The results of the study revealed that among all the treatments, T₅, the application of recommended NPK +ZnSO₄+ MnSO₄ with humic acid application accounted for a significant increase in growth character, yield components and yield of sesame. This treatment also significantly improved the soil nutrient availability.

Keywords

Sesame, INM, Growth,Yield, Coastal Sandy Soil.

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D. Elayaraja ¹, R. Singaravel ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Chidambaram (T.N.), IN

Abstract

Zinc deficiency associated reduction of yield is well known in coarse textured sandy soils. A pot experiment was carried out in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University with groundnut var. VRI 2 during June-September 2006, to evaluate different levels of zinc on the yield and nutrients uptake by groundnut in coastal sandy soil. The experimental soil was sandy, taxonomically classified as Typic udipsaments with pH-8.39; EC-1.61 dS m^-1 and represented low status of organic carbon and zinc. The following treatments studied: T₁- NPK; T₂- NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1; T₃- NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1; T₄- NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 30 kg ha^-1 and T₅- NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 35 kg ha^-1. All the treatments received a common organic addition of composted coirpith @ 12.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. The experimental results revealed that, the application of NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 30 kg ha^-1 was significant in increasing the nutrients uptake and yield of groundnut. The percentage yield increase recorded with ZnSO₄ application @ 30 kg ha^-1 along with CCP was 15.25 percentage of pod and 15.81 percentage of haulm yield as compared to control.

Keywords

Coastal Sandy Soils, Zinc, Nutrients Uptake, Yield, Groundnut.

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D. Elayaraja ¹, R. Singaravel ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Chidambaram (T.N.), IN

Abstract

In determining the yield and quality of groundnut, the role of Zn and B is much pronounced. Restricted availability of these nutrients in sandy soil greatly impairs the yield of groundnut. A field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of micronutrients viz., Zn and B on the yield and nutrients uptake by groundnut in coastal sandy soil. The experiment was carried out in a farmer's field at Ponnanthittu village in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu during December-March 2007. The initial fertility status of experimental soil was pH 8.39, EC-1.61 dSm^-1, organic carbon 2.7g kg^-1 and represented low status of micronutrients. The various treatments included were T₁- Control, T₂- 100% NPK, T₃- 150% NPK, T₄- 150% NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 30 kg ha^-1, T₅- 150% NPK + Borax @15 kg ha^-1, T₆- 150% NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 30 kg ha^-1 + Borax @15 kg ha^-1 along with composted coirpith @ 12.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with four replications, using groundnut variety VRI 2 as test crop. The results clearly indicated that, T₆- 150% NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 30 kg ha^-1 + Borax @ 15 kg ha^-1 along with composted coirpith application significantly increased the yield and nutrients uptake by groundnut. This treatment recorded the highest pod yield of 2466 kg ha^-1 and haulm yield of 3354 kg ha^-1 which represented 31.31 and 25.95 per cent increased in pod and haulm yield, respectively over 100 per cent NPK application.

Keywords

Zinc, Boron, Groundnut, Coastal Sandy Soil.

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S. Kamaraj ¹, R. Singaravel ¹, D. Elayaraja ¹, G. Vembu ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar (T.N.), IN

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of organic manure fortified with micronutrients viz., ZnSO₄ and FeSO₄ on the growth and yield of rice in coastal saline soil. The experiment was conducted in farmers field at Sillankuppam village in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu during October-January 2009. The initial fertility status of experimental soil was pH-8.88, EC-2.16 dS m^-1 and OC-0.22 g kg^-1 and represented low status of micronutrients. The treatments were T₁–Recommended level NPK, T₂-NPK+ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 25 Kg ha^-1, T₃-NPK+Green manure fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 75% RL, T₄-NPK+Green manure fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 100% RL, T₅-NPK+Green manure fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 125% RL, T₆-NPK+Coir pith fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 75% RL, T₇-NPK+Coir pith fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 100% RL, T₈-NPK+Coir pith fortified ZnSO₄+FeSO₄ @ 125% RL. The results showed that, micronutrients fortified composted green leaf manure significantly increased the growth and yield parameters of rice as compared to other treatments.

Keywords

Micronutrient Fortified Organic Manure, Coastal Saline Soil, Rice.

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D. Elayaraja ¹, S. Singaravel ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar (T.N.), IN

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field at Ponnanthittu coastal village, near Chidambaram during Dec-Mar 2006, to find out the influence of organics and NPK levels on the yield and nutrient uptake by groundnut in coastal sandy soil. Texturally, the experimental soil was sandy with initial soil characteristics (0-15 cm layer) of the experimental site were, pH-8.39 and EC-1.61 dS mol. The soil registered low organic carbon status of 0.27%, 128.32 kg ha^-1 of alkaline KMnO₄-N; 10.23 kg ha^-1 of Olsen-P and 196.74 kg ha^-1 of NH₄OAc-K, respectively. The treatments consisted of different levels of NPK viz., A₁-Control; A₂-100% NPK; A₃-125% NPK and A₄-150% NPK as factor A and different sources of organics viz., B₁-Control, B₂-Composted coirpith @ 12.5 t ha^-1 and B₃-Pressmud @ 12.5 t ha^-1 as factor B. The above treatments were arranged in a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications and tested with groundnut var. VRl 2. The results of the study indicated that the combined application of 150% NPK along with composted coirpith @12.5 t ha^-1 was significantly superior in increasing the yield and nutrients uptake by groundnut.

Keywords

Coastal Sandy Soils, Organics, Yield, Nutrient Uptake, Groundnut.

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