Nutrient Availability from an Organic Fertilizer Produced by Chemical Decomposition of Solid Wastes in Relation to Dry Matter Production in Banana

Abstract

An investigation was carried out at the College of Agriculture, Trivandrum, Kerala, India to evaluate the suitability of an organic fertilizer produced by rapid chemical decomposition of organic waste as a substitute for farmyard manure for banana cultivation with reference to its effects on soil properties, nutrient availability and dry matter production. A field experiment for 11 months duration was conducted in banana (Musa spp. variety Nendran) in Randomized Block Design with eight treatments with three replications. The treatments were selected to compare conventional farmyard manure based and soil test based fertilizer recommendations with those of the newly produced rapid organic fertilizer. Treatments to study the combined effect were also included. Fertilizers were applied basally and in six split doses in accordance with the recommended package of practices. The fresh weight of the pseudostem, leaves, fruits and rhizome were recorded at harvest and dry matter production computed after oven drying the samples. The study revealed that the substitution of farmyard manure with rapid organic fertilizer imparted a better buffering action to soil with only 51.43% decline in pH, without significant changes in electrical conductivity and ensured a steady supply of major nutrients during the active growth stages of the crop. Total and fruit dry matter production also differed significantly. Hence it can be inferred that the organic fertilizer produced by rapid thermochemical decomposition of solid wastes can substitute farmyard manure for banana cultivation.