An Asian Journal of Soil Science

S. Suresh ¹

Affiliations
1 Krishii Vigyan Kendra, Horticultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pechiparai (T.N.), IN

Abstract

The toxicity of Fe occurs mainly in poorly drained inland valleys often with lateral seepage and or upwelling Fe containing water, coastal saline-acid soils, peat soils, acid sulphate soil and other hydromorphic soils and others. Surface soil samples(0 – 20 cm depth) were collected from rice fields in the areas of the soils prone to varying degree of Fe toxicity in the high rainfall zone of Tamil Nadu and analysed for their physico-chemical characteristics. The Aquic Hapludalf recorded 62.5 per cent of the samples with > 40 mg/kg of water soluble Fe followed by Udic Rhodudalf (52.6%). The upwelling ground water caused the accumulation of Fe and subsequent precipitation resulted in the presence of reduce brown scum of iron oxides and hydroxide on the surface of the soil particularly along the border of the field. Fe accumulation also induced deficiency of P,K, Zn and bases viz., Ca and Mg.

Keywords

Physico-Chemical Characteristics, Fe-Toxic Soils.

Full Text

     

S. Suresh ¹, R. Swarna Piria ¹

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Horticultural Research Station, Pechiparai, Kanyakumari (T.N.), IN

Abstract

In rice ecosystem about 60-70% of the applied nitrogen got lost due to different losses viz., leaching, volatilization etc. The increase in nitrogen use efficiency by 1% will lead to a substantial increase in rice productivity. Therefore a field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different product of neem based nitrification inhibitors to increase the nitrogen use efficiency along with the recommended practice of inorganic N application in rice during Pishanam 2003-04. The study on the effect of nitrogen source on the yield parameters, yield, nutrient uptake and B-C ratio of rice in Tamirabarani tract revealed that the application of 120 kg N/ha as neem coated urea in 3 splits recorded the highest plant height, number of tillers/plant, productive tillers/plant (13.9) and the grain (7.59 t/ha) and straw (11.5 g/ha) yields, total uptake of N (93.4 kg/ha), P (26.0 kg/ha) and K (132 kg/ha) and B-C ratio of 1.21 rupees per rupee invested in rice (var. ADT 39). Although the nitrogen use efficiency was found marginally lower (13.9) in neem coated urea at 120 kg/ha than the application of 96 kg N/ha (80% of the recommended N) as nimin coated urea in 3 splits (15.1), the highest B-C ratio of 1.61 rupees per rupee invested was recorded over the normal recommended practice of applying urea at the rate of 120 kg N/ha in 3 splits (1.00) and found economically viable.

Keywords

Rice, Bio-Efficacy, Neemcake Coated Urea, Yield, Nutrient Use Efficiency.

Full Text

     

S. Suresh ¹

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Horticultural Research Station, Pechiparai, Kanyakumari (T.N.), IN

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted in flooded valley Fe toxicity polluted coastal acid soil of the high rainfall zone of Tamil Nadu state in India to determine the effect of application of nutrients with and without lime (9.6t/ha) (to bring pH to neutral range) on the changes in soil fertility status and yield of wetland banana. The results showed that the soil pH, availability of major nutrients, hot water soluble B and yield of bunch increased, while all forms of Fe got appreciably reduced for liming. Although the application of fertilizers played significant role in masking the toxicity pollution of excess Fe, the soil application of lime, N, P and K together with foliar spray of multinutrients (1%Diammonium phosphate, 1% Muriate of potash, 0.5% ZnSO4, 0.2% CuSO4 and 0.2% borax) thrice at early and late vegetative stages and inflorescense initiation stage accounted highest bunch yield of 39.4 t/ha besides without expression of any toxicity pollution symptoms.

Keywords

Wetland Banana, Iron Toxicity, Yield, Soil Properties.

Full Text

     

S. Suresh ¹

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pechiparai, Kanyakumari (T.N.), IN

Abstract

Experiments were conducted in five farmers holdings at Puthalam village consecutively from 2006-07 to study the effect of ischolar_main feeding of coconut tonic on nutrient concentration and yield of coconut. The soil was sandy loam in texture. The soil had a pH range of 7.7 to 8.0, EC of 0.41 to 0.90 dS m^-1, organic C 0.2 to 0.3 %, available N 78 to 88 kg/ha, available P 7.0 to 8.0 kg/ha, and available K 108 to 130 kg/ha. The treatments were: T₁:Control (Co fertilizers), T₂:Recommended chemical fertilizers (1.3 kg urea, 2.0 kg SSP and 2.0 kg muriate of potash), T₃:Root feeding of TNAU tonic without soil application of recommended chemical fertilizers, T₄:ischolar_main feeding of coconut tonic and soil application of recommended chemical fertilizers. The palm west coast tall was tested. In each treatment 35 palms were tested and mean yield/tree/harvest was recorded. The soil application of recommended N, P, K and ischolar_main feeding of coconut tonic resulted in highest K content (1.42 to 1.48%) compared to the other treatments. produced significantly more number of nuts (71.2 and 73.5 nuts/palm/year) compared to other treatments during 2007 and 2008, respectively. This was followed by the ischolar_main feeing of TNAU coconut tonic alone (64.1 and 66.6 nuts/palm/year). The lowest yield was recorded in the control (48 and 48.2 nuts/palm/year, respectively).

Keywords

Coconut, Fertilization, Soil, Tonic, Yield.

Full Text