Sustainable soil fertility management in coconut based multi-storeyed cropping system
Loading...
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kasaragod, Kerala state during 2012 to 2015 to
develop appropriate cost effective practices for enhancing productivity and profitability of coconut based multi-storeyed cropping
system involving a combination of coconut, noni, banana and long pepper in coastal sandy soil. The treatments consisted of eight
combinations of four levels of NPK (100 per cent, 2/3rd, 1/3rdof the recommended NPK and basin management in the organic
pathway) for coconut and two levels of NPK (100 and 75 per cent of the recommended dose) for the component crops in addition
to five sole cropping systems namely, coconut (100 per cent NPK), coconut (organic), long pepper (100 per cent NPK), banana
(100 per cent NPK) and noni (100 per cent NPK). Pooled analysis of the data revealed that basin management with 75 per cent
NPK for component crops was found favourable for increasing the nut yield from 43 to 53 nuts palm-1 year-1. Soil properties and
BCR of the system also improved as a result of the same treatment. Highest copra content (160.6 g nut-1) was recorded in the
organic basin management treatment supplied with 100 per cent NPK for component crops. An improvement in the soil nutrient
status was also observed compared to the control.
Description
Keywords
BCR, coconut basin management, multi-storeyed cropping system, nutrient management, plant interferences
Citation
Journal of Plantation Crops, 2016, 44(1): 1-7