Efficiency of sulphate of potash (SOP) as an alternate source of potassium for black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

Field experiments were conducted at two locations, viz., Kannur (Kerala) and Chettalli (Kodagu, Karnataka) for evaluating the efficacy of sulphate of potash (SOP) as a source of potassium (K) on black pepper. There were nine treatment combinations viz., T1 -Control, T2 -Recommended (Rec.) K as muriate of potash (MOP), T3 -Rec. K as SOP, T4 -125% of Rec. K as SOP, T5 -T3 + SOP 2% foliar spray, T6 -50% of Rec. K as SOP + SOP 2% foliar spray, T7 -50% of Rec. K as SOP, T8 -T2 + Mg @ 25 kg ha-1 as MgSO4 and T9 - T3 + Mg @ 25 kg ha-1 as MgSO4 laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that soil nutrient status in treatment with 25.0% higher recommended K as SOP recorded significantly higher concentrations of soil organic carbon, K, Ca, S, Zn and Cu. The study further revealed that for economic yield of high quality black pepper, 50% of recommended dose of K as SOP for soils of high K status and 100% recommended K as SOP + 2% foliar spray of SOP for soil of low K status can be recommended. &nbsp

Evaluation of nursery mixture for planting material production in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

An experiment was conducted at Peruvannamuzhi (Kerala) to study the feasibility of usingsoil-less medium containing coir pith compost and granite powder for raising black pepper(Piper nigrum) cuttings in the nursery. Plant height, leaf production, leaf area and total drymatter production were significantly higher in the medium consisting of coir pith compostand granite powder in 1:1 proportion along with Azospirillum sp. and phosphobacteria  asnutrient sources whereas, the cost of production of rooted cuttings was cheaper in the mediumconsisting of coir pith compost, granite powder, and farmyard manure in 2:1:1 proportioncompared to conventional potting mixture (soil: sand: farmyard manure in 2:1:1 proportion). &nbsp

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Not AvailableBlack pepper is commonly propagated through rooting of cuttings using potting mixture consisting of soil, sand, and farmyard manure in 2:1:1 proportion. Use of sand in potting mixture is uneconomical due to non-availability and cost of the material. Substituting sand with granite powder, a waste material obtained from stone quarries, is more economical. Rate of leaf production (4.6), leaf area (136.8 cm2), and biomass (3.9 g) of black pepper rooted cuttings were higher for combinations of soil (S), granite powder (G) and farmyard manure (F) (SGF 2:1:1), followed by (SGF 1:1:1), soil, granite powder and coir pith compost (CPC) (SG CPC 1:1:1) and soil, granite powder, Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria (SG A+P 1:1:1). Production cost of rooted cuttings was less for SGF 2:1:1 and SGF 1:1:1 compared to control.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableWhile there are numerous reports on nutrient management in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a compre-hensive study dealing with the simultaneous influence of different nutrient management schedules on ginger yield, rhizomequality, nutrient uptake (oleoresin, essential oil, essential oil constituents) and soil properties (physico-chemical andbiochemical) is found wanting. Hence, field experiments were conducted between 2007 and 2016 involving (1) organicnutrient management (ONM) consisting of exclusive use of biological fertilizers, viz. Bacillus megaterium,Azospirillumlipoferum, farmyard manure, vermicompost, neem cake and ash, (2) chemical nutrient management (CNM) consisting ofonly inorganic sources of nutrients, viz. nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium applied @ 75–50–50 kg ha-1in the form ofurea, rock phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively, and (3) integrated nutrient management (INM) encompassingboth organic sources and biological fertilizers, viz. FYM and N applied at 50% of CNM and P, K applied at 100% of CNM,i.e. 37.5–50–50 kg ha-1. The results on soil properties revealed that soil pH was lowest in CNM (5.03), while soil organiccarbon (SOC) level was markedly higher by 39.0% in ONM and by 32.8% in INM compared with CNM. Bray P level wasgreater in ONM by 119.0% compared with CNM and by 72.0% compared with INM. Exchangeable Ca and Mg weregreater in ONM and INM, and among available micronutrients, available Cu and Fe levels were greatest in ONM andavailable Mn level was greatest in CNM. Among the soil biochemical parameters, microbial biomass C increased markedlyby 81.0% in ONM and 48.0% in INM. This was responsible for enhanced b-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and dehy-drogenase activities in ONM and INM, though urease activity was greatest in CNM. In case of rhizome yield, CNMregistered significantly lower yield (mean 11.14 Mg ha-1) in comparison with ONM and INM (mean 18.64 and18.50 Mg ha-1, respectively) across all the years. With regard to rhizome quality, the essential oil content in ONM andCNM was almost identical (1.0–1.7%), while it was slightly higher at 1.32–4.0% in INM. Results on rhizome oilcomponents showed that pinene, d-camphene and b-phellandrene contents were higher in CNM, b-citral (neral) andcitronellol in ONM and a-citral (geranial) in INM. The study, in general, indicated the distinct possibility of reducing oravoiding application of chemical fertilizers while simultaneously sustaining ginger rhizome yield and quality throughONM or INM.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableWhile there are numerous reports on nutrient management in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a comprehensive study dealing with the simultaneous influence of different nutrient management schedules on ginger yield, rhizome quality, nutrient uptake (oleoresin, essential oil, essential oil constituents) and soil properties (physico-chemical and biochemical) is found wanting. Hence, field experiments were conducted between 2007 and 2016 involving (1) organic nutrient management (ONM) consisting of exclusive use of biological fertilizers, viz. Bacillus megaterium, Azospirillum lipoferum, farmyard manure, vermicompost, neem cake and ash, (2) chemical nutrient management (CNM) consisting of only inorganic sources of nutrients, viz. nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium applied @ 75–50–50 kg ha-1 in the form of urea, rock phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively, and (3) integrated nutrient management (INM) encompassing both organic sources and biological fertilizers, viz. FYM and N applied at 50% of CNM and P, K applied at 100% of CNM, i.e. 37.5–50–50 kg ha-1. The results on soil properties revealed that soil pH was lowest in CNM (5.03), while soil organic carbon (SOC) level was markedly higher by 39.0% in ONM and by 32.8% in INM compared with CNM. Bray P level was greater in ONM by 119.0% compared with CNM and by 72.0% compared with INM. Exchangeable Ca and Mg were greater in ONM and INM, and among available micronutrients, available Cu and Fe levels were greatest in ONM and available Mn level was greatest in CNM. Among the soil biochemical parameters, microbial biomass C increased markedly by 81.0% in ONM and 48.0% in INM. This was responsible for enhanced b-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase activities in ONM and INM, though urease activity was greatest in CNM. In case of rhizome yield, CNM registered significantly lower yield (mean 11.14 Mg ha-1) in comparison with ONM and INM (mean 18.64 and 18.50 Mg ha-1, respectively) across all the years. With regard to rhizome quality, the essential oil content in ONM and CNM was almost identical (1.0–1.7%), while it was slightly higher at 1.32–4.0% in INM. Results on rhizome oil components showed that pinene, d-camphene and b-phellandrene contents were higher in CNM, b-citral (neral) and citronellol in ONM and a-citral (geranial) in INM. The study, in general, indicated the distinct possibility of reducing or avoiding application of chemical fertilizers while simultaneously sustaining ginger rhizome yield and quality through ONM or INM.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableTurmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is grown in several countries and is commonly used as medicine, condi-ment, dye and cosmetic. A systematic study on the effects of nutrient management systems on turmericyield & quality (curcumin content, oleoresin content, and oil content), nutrient uptake and relevant soilquality parameters is lacking. Hence, field experiments were conducted for three years from 2010 to13 involving three nutrient management regimes viz., organic nutrient management (ONM) involving application or organic manures (Farmyard manure + neem cake + vermicompost + ash + Azospirillum lipoferum + Pseudomonas fluorescens), conventional nutrient management (CNM) involving application of inorganic fertilizers (60–50–120 kg ha−1NPK applied as diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash,respectively) and integrated nutrient management (INM) involving a combination of inorganic fertilizers(50% N + full dose of P and K, i.e. 30–50–120 kg ha−1NPK) and organic manure (20.0 t ha−1FYM + Bacillus megaterium var. Phosphaticum).The mean data across the three years revealed that soil pH was greatest in the ONM treatment (5.80),mineral N level in the INM treatment (197.0 ± 109.0 mg kg−1) and exchangeable K level in both INM and CNM treatments (213.0 ± 81.0 and 209.0 ± 82.0 mg kg−1, respectively). Similarly, exchangeable Ca level was significantly higher in the ONM treatment (749 ± 122 mg kg−1) followed by the INM treatment(552 ± 128 mg kg−1), while the CNM treatment registered a 53.0–65.0% lower exchangeable Ca level.Conversely, large accumulation of Bray P was evident (80.0 ± 57.5 mg kg−1) in the CNM treatment and the mean level was greater by 36.9% compared to INM treatment and by 236.0% compared to ONM treatment. Application of organic manures enhanced soil organic C (SOC) levels and the greatest level was observed in the ONM treatment (mean 17.4 ± 0.24 g kg−1), followed by the INM treatment (mean16.6 ± 0.18 g kg−1) and lowest in the CNM treatment (mean 15.1 ± 0.17 g kg−1). Lower SOC level in the CNM treatment resulted in decreased soil microbial biomass C (CMIC), acid phosphatase, beta-glucosidase and dehydrogenase activities. The turmeric rhizome yield was consistently higher in the INM treatment(mean 22.5 ± 10.2 Mg ha−1) during the three years followed by CNM (mean 20.0 ± 10.4 Mg ha−1) and lastly by the ONM treatment (mean 17.8 ± 9.2 Mg ha−1). Similarly, most of the nutrient elements (N, P,K, Mg, Zn) registered significantly higher uptake in the INM treatment followed by CNM and then byONM. However, the quality of turmeric measured in terms of oleoresin, curcumin, volatile oil and its constituents like beta-phellandrene, pinene, AR Turmeron + alfa Turmeron and beta-Turmeron did not show any significant variations among the nutrient management systems. Principal component analysis indicated the degree of interdependence of various factors. Overall, the study indicated the distinct possibility of reducing chemical N fertilizer by 50% when applied in combination with organic manure for enhanced soil quality, rhizome yield and nutrient uptake in turmeric.Not Availabl