An Asian Journal of Soil Science

Jeena Mathew ¹, Sumam George ²

Affiliations
1 Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Regional Station, Kayamkulam (Kerala), IN
2 College of Agriculture, Vellayani (Kerala), IN

Abstract

Sulphur and boron have been found to act in a synergistic manner for enhancing the yield and quality of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). As it is the choice crop of farmers in the summer rice fallows of Onattukara, field experiments were laid out in factorial RBD with four levels each of sulphur and boron with the variety Thilarani. The levels of sulphur tried were 0 kg S ha^-1, 7.5 kg S ha^-1, 15.0 kg S ha^-1 and 30.0 kg S ha^-1 and 0 kg B ha^-1, 2.5 kg B ha^-1, 5.0 kg B ha^-1 and 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 kg B ha^-1 for boron which were applied as gypsum and borax, respectively. The incubation study, designed to understand the release pattern of nutrients reveled that highest quantity of sulphur and boron were available during the 30th day of incubation and there after showed a decreasing trend. Application of sulphur @ 30 kg ha^-1 and boron @ 7.5 kg ha^-1 improved the available nutrient status of Onattukara soil. The nutrient use efficiency of sulphur was highest at 30 kg ha^-1 and that for boron it was 2.5 kg ha^-1. It also registered a significant positive impact on enhancing the yield and yield attributes of sesame in such a way that the highest rates of both the nutrients registered maximum yield from the crop in both the years.

Keywords

Boron, Onattukara Sandy Soil, Productivity, Release Pattern of Nutrients, Sesame, Sulphur.

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Jeena Mathew ¹, Sumam George ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Soil Science, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Regional Station, Kayamkulam (Kerala), IN
2 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), IN

Abstract

Identifying constraints in terms of physical chemical and biological indicators of soil quality is a major challenge in sustainable management of problem soils. Onattukara sandy soil is delineated as a problem soil in the soil map of Kerala. Crop production in this type of soil is beset with constraints in terms of poor water and nutrient holding capacity, scarce supply of essential nutrients, low organic matter content and the poor biological activity. The present paper attempts to outline the impacts by the application of S and B as gypsum and borax in improving the quality indicators of this soil and also to improve the productivity of sesame, the choice crop in such a soil type. Two field experiments were carried out with four levels each of S and B having a total of sixteen treatment combinations. Application of these nutrients resulted in the general improvement of soil quality in terms of the enhanced organic matter status and dehydrogenase activity. It also resulted in improving the availability of P, K, Mg, S, B, Fe, Mn and Zn. The productivity of sesame was also found to be positively correlated with the different levels of S and B. Maximum economic benefit from this crop in this type of soil could be gained by the application of S @ 30 kg ha^-1 and B @ 2.5 kg ha^-1.

Keywords

Problem Soil, Synergism, Sulphur, Boron.

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