Glyricidia (Glyricidia sepium) as green manure in improving soil fertility and productivity of coconut under coastal littoral sandy soil
Loading...
Date
2005-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Indian Society for Plantation Crops
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted on substitution of nitrogenous fertilizer with glyricidia green manure to study the effect of this green manure on soil fertility, yield and economic returns from coconut under coastal littoral sandy soil at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod. The treatments included substitution of 25, 50,75 and 100 per cent of the recommended dose of nitrogen through glyricidia while the balance N and full dose of P and K was supplied through chemical fertilizers. In the control treatment, the recommended dose of NPK was applied through chemical fertilizers alone. The experimental results revealed that incorporation of glyricidia as green manure had higher levels of available soil nitrogen as compared to application of inorganic fertilizers alone. However, the different treatments did not show any significant effect on available soil phosphorus and potassium. Glyricidia application also improved the soil moisture availability. The treatment, where 50 per cent N was substituted by glyricidia + 50 per cent of N and 100 per cent of P and K through chemical fertilizers recorded higher yield of 52 nuts per palm per year (44 percentage increase over control). The cost benefit ratio was also most favourable in the same treatment (1: 1.82)
Description
Keywords
coconut, coastal sandy soil, glyricidia green manure, N substitution, available nutrients, productivity, cost benefit ratio
Citation
Journal of Plantation Crops, 2005, 33(3), 179-183