Bioconversion of eucalyptus bark waste into soil conditioner

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Sustainable Irrigation Practices in India

Applicability of fly ash (FA) was explored for qualitative and quantitative improvement(s) in banana orchards, in light of its physico-chemical properties, imparting porous texture to soil, water holding capacity, increase in aeration, supplement calcium and phosphate and micronutrients cost-effectively. For this purpose, FA was applied at 1.2 kg/plant (i.e. 5 MT/hectare) without and with soil conditioner (SC), consortium of four bio-fertilisers (BF) and plant growth regulator (PGR), individually and in combinations. Upon statistical analysis at p = 5 %, it was found that addition of FA (i) did not affect per cent survival of plants upon transplantation, (ii) improved an uptake of NPK, (iii) in conjunction with SC and BF stimulated the growth of biomass as judged from measurement of height and girth of pseudostem, (iv) enhanced degree of ramification of root system, (v) did not adversely affect microbial profiles in rhizosphere, (vi) partially increased VAM spore count as well as its infection, (vii) maintained minimal 40–50 % siderophore units in the mycorrhizosphere, (viii) afforded incrementally more chlorophyll content in the leaves, (ix) possibly rendered plant protection and finally (x) provided 15–20 % increase in the yield of banana. Ion chromatographic system revealed almost total absence of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb (the toxic elements present in fly ash in mg quantities) in pseudostem and banana. The trend of these observations persisted in both trials conducted at the 1-acre and 4-acre scale at separate places during the year 1998–99 and 1999–2000. The keeping quality of banana improved ten fold, while qualitatively bananas were sweeter and softer compared to those grown by traditional methods, under identical conditions. Thus, in the light of the above data, it appeared that application of fly ash is ecologically safe, economically desirable, logistically practicable and in favour of sustainability for farmers/consumers.

Applicability of Fly Ash is Sound for Rhizosphere, Biomass Yield, Enhanced Banana Productivity and Sustainable Eco-System

With varied recommendations on the application of chemical fertilisers in quantity and frequency and t heir further liberal use by farmers increased the cost o f inputs, created surface and underground pollution , expedited the rate of salinisation of soil, resulting in less productivity in the immediate future and least pro ductivity in three decades. To reverse this trend, biotech approach co mprising of application of soil conditioner (SC), p lant growth regulator (PGR), a consortium of four biofertiliser s, drip irrigation, besides the application of fly ash has been attempted. It has reduced the cost of banana cultiv ation by reducing the dose of chemical fertilisers by 50 % and increased its use efficiency by drip irrigation. Ap plication of SC and consortium of biofertilisers af forded sustained release of nutrition to banana plantation , giving substantially high yield of banana compare d to control and 50 % extra realisation compared to availability through routine agricultural practices. While scop e exists for site specific optimisation of input of chemical fer tilisers, this attempt opens an avenue for self ent repreneurship to students holding land and consultancy to landles s students. Such practice using biotech inputs prov ides a fair chance of converting large tracks of barren and sal ine soils under high irrigation crops such as sugar cane, banana and rice into fertile soils. Besides, it opens aven ues for commercial production of SC, PGR and Consortium of

P.M. Kothari

Papers

Innovative recycling of vegetable protein waste for increased crop productivity