Farmers’ Utilisation Pattern of Soil Health Card’s Recommendation on Sali Rice Cultivation in Assam

Aims: The present study was undertaken to examine the utilisation pattern of Soil Health Card’s (SHC) recommendation by the farmers on sali rice cultivation in Assam. Study Design: The numbers of respondents were selected by proportional allocation to size to make it 150 and the relevant data were cross-sectional. Place and Duration of Study: The study was undertaken at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat. Respondents were selected from the Darrang district of Assam during the period 2017-18. Methodology: Descriptive as well as inferential statistical tools were employed in order to attain the objective of the study. The data was analysed by using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and Chi-square test. Results: The result revealed that 56.67 per cent of the respondents were unable to read the content of SHC, and 82.00 per cent of the respondents did not understand the content of SHC. Moreover, 74.66 per cent of farmers did not apply fertilisers and other nutrients as per the SHC recommendation. The chi-square test showed that application of urea, Diammonium Phosphate, Singe Super Phosphate and Muriate of Potash had a higher association with increased age, education, landholding, and gross annual income of respondents. Conclusion: The SHC scheme could not bring any positive changes to sali rice in the initial year at Darrang district. Thus, the study has suggested initiating the mass awareness campaign regularly using the concept of social marketing for judicious application of fertilisers and nutrients based on the SHC report. It is also necessary to provide technical backstopping to farmers on SHC recommendation and application to make agriculture productive, profitable, and sustainable.

Influence of Fertilizer on the Yield and Quality Parameters of Garri from Two Improved Cassava Cultivars (TME 419 and TMS 01/1412)

Aims: Food insecurity is a major problem in developing countries, to overcome this problem, fertilizers are used to increase yield of agricultural produce. However, fertilizer may affect the quality of processed products. This study aimed to investigate the influence of fertilizer treatments levels on yield and quality properties of garri from two improved cassava varieties (TME 419 and TMS 01/1412). Methodology: Cassava roots were planted with varying fertilizer levels [50% (45, 20 and 35 kg/hectare of NPK-12-12-17, Muriate of Potash and Urea, respectively) and 100% (90, 40 and 70 kg/hectare of NPK-12-12-17, Muriate of Potash and Urea, respectively)]. Garri yield, chemical, physicochemical, pasting properties, and sensory attributes of garri were evaluated. Results: Results showed 30% and 22% increase in garri yield from 100% fertilized TME and TMS cassava root, respectively. The chemical contents of the garri samples increased with increasing fertilizer level. Cyanide contents of the garri samples decrease with increasing fertilizer level. Garri from 100% fertilizer treatment had higher water absorption capacity (3.51 g/ml and 3.32 g/ml), reconstitution index (72.75% and 77.20%) and gelation index (7.0% and 8.0%), but lower swelling capacity (3.43 g/ml and 3.02 g/ml) and bulk density (0.55 g/cm3 and 0.51 g/cm3) in TME and TMS cultivar, respectively. Conclusion: High level of fertilizer application improved the chemical components, reduced the cyanide contents and pasting properties of garri samples from the two cassava cultivars.

Mitigating Potassium Leaching from Muriate of Potash in a Tropical Peat Soil Using Clinoptilolite Zeolite, Forest Litter Compost, and Chicken Litter Biochar

Using muriate of potash (MOP) as a source of potassium (K) is a cost-effective method for crop production in tropical peat soils. However, exchangeable K commonly leaches from tropical peat soils because of high rainfall and a lack of clay to retain this cation. Potassium retention as exchangeable K could inhibit K loss through leaching to increase K availability. Clinoptilolite zeolite (CZ), forest litter compost (FLC), and chicken litter biochar (CLB) can be used to retain K from MOP in tropical peat soils for crop use because of the high affinity of CZ, FLC, and CLB for K ions. These approaches can be used as innovative and sustainable alternatives for the frequently used lime (CaCO3). However, information on using CZ, FLC, and CLB for MOP K retention is limited. Thus, CZ, FLC, and CLB were tested in a leaching study to determine their effects on MOP K retention in tropical peat soil. The use of CZ and FLC at rates of 100% and 75% of the recommended rate for pineapple cultivation (a commonly grown fruit crop in tropical peat soils in Malaysia) improved the K availability, pH, and CEC of the peat soil because of the high CEC of CZ and the humic substances (humic acids, fulvic acids, and humin) of FLC, which have a high affinity for K ions. The CLB did not improve K retention because of the competition between K, Ca, Mg, and Na ions, which are inherently high in this soil amendment. Instead of liming, which only replaces a few of the leached cations, such as calcium, the results of this study suggest an alternative method of retaining peat cations, such as K, that reduce peat acidity. This alternative method of retaining peat soil cations, especially K ions, is a practical and sustainable approach for improving peat soil productivity.

Yield, biochemical properties and cooking quality traits of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) as affected by Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizer rates

This study evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer rates on biochemical properties, cooking quality traits and root yield of sweetpotatoes. The experimental design was 4 x 4 factorial in randomized complete block with three replications. The treatment factors were four varieties of sweetpotato (Ligri, Bohye, Dadanyuie and Apomuden) and four fertilizer amendments (T1: 30-30-30 kg /ha NPK, T2: 30-30-60 kg NPK+50 kg Muriate of Potash, T3: 30-30-90 kg/ha NPK+ 100 kg Muriate of Potash and T4: Control (No fertilizer). Results showed that the fertilizer rates did not influence root yield but variety had significant difference (P<0.05). Apomuden recorded the highest average root yield of 14.5 t/ha which was significantly higher than Ligri 5.1 t/ha. Ligri recorded the highest dry matter and sugar contents of 34.63% and 67.98% respectively while Apomuden recorded the lowest dry matter content and starch content of 23.75% and 50.00% respectively. However, it recorded appreciable amount of beta-carotene and sugar contents of 32.38 mg/100g and 28.04% respectively. There were significant variety × location interactions effect (P < 0.05) on average root yield and biomass yield. The significant varietal response observed in this study implies that choice of variety is an important factor to consider in sweetpotato production.

Fertilizer doses for jute cultivation after onion harvest

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the fertilizer dose for jute cultivation at the field after harvesting of onion at Gangabordi and Talma, Faridpur during 2017 with five treatments with different level of Urea, Triple Super Phosphate, Muriate of Potash and Gypsum. The result revealed that the treatment of higher doses of fertilizer gave the statistically significant highest fibre (2.76t/ha) yield whereas treatment of lower doses of fertilizer gave the lowest fibre yield (2.40 t/ha) but the Benefit Cost ratio from different treatment showed statistical non significance. From the view of economic profitability, farmers may use no fertilizer at their field during jute cultivation where previous crop was onion.

Hazenite: a new secondary phosphorus, potassium and magnesium fertiliser

Secondary fertilisers are becoming an important alternative to conventional mined fertilisers. For the first time, the struvite "relative" hazenite (KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂∙14 H₂O) has been artificially synthesised. A pot trial assessed whether hazenite-fertilised ryegrass had comparable potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), or phosphorus (P) uptake and shoot yields with treatments receiving conventional K (muriate of potash), Mg (kieserite) or P (triple superphosphate, TSP) fertilisers. Ryegrass shoot biomass production and K/Mg uptake in replicates receiving hazenite were as good as or superior to those amended with conventional fertilisers. Phosphorus uptake of plants whose P source was TSP was significantly higher than that of the hazenite-amended replicates without significantly higher shoot biomass, indicating luxury P uptake. Hazenite’s constituent sodium (Na) makes it a potentially useful soil amendment for forage grasses or natrophilic crops such as sugar beet. Its component Mg would also be desirable in forage grasses to pre-empt ruminant hypomagnesemia or in crops with a relatively high Mg demand, for example, maize. Furthermore, hazenite represents a good alternative to KCl for chlorophobic crops such as potatoes. However, given its unusual ratio of Mg, P, and K, the ideal application of hazenite would probably be in combination with other fertilisers.

Faecal Sludge Derived Products as Fertilizer for Lettuce Cultivation in Urban Agriculture

Faecal sludge (FS) contains a significant amount of plant nutrients. After drying and composting, FS has been used as soil ameliorant in several countries. Use of FS-based compost on lettuce may meet reservations due to possible microbiological contamination. The objectives of this research are: (l) to determine the fertilizer value of different formulations of sawdust and faecal sludge compost (SDFS) pellets, (2) to compare the effect of these SDFS formulations with poultry manure, commercial compost, mineral fertilizer and non-fertilization on lettuce cultivation. The SDFS products were made by enriching and pelletized with ammonium sulphate, mineral-NPK or ammonium sulphate + muriate of potash + triple super phosphate. Lettuce was cultivated in a greenhouse and in an open field. The result showed that the fresh weight obtained from all SDFS pellets with/without enrichments were higher than those obtained from commercial compost, poultry manure, mineral fertilizer or no fertilizer. Cultivation in the open field gave higher yields than those in the greenhouse. No helminth eggs were detected in composts or lettuces. Some faecal coliforms were detected in lettuces despite fertilization treatments. A properly treated fecal sludge-based fertilizer can be a sustainable solution for lettuce production which helps urban and peri-urban agriculture.