Rehabilitating acid soils for increasing crop productivity through low-cost liming material.
Productivity of red and lateritic soils is low because of their acidity and deficiencies in few essential nutrients viz., nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, boron, molybdenum etc. We compared the effectiveness of basic slag, a low-cost liming material, with that of calcite as an ameliorant for these soils using mustard followed by rice as test crops. Experiments were conducted with three levels of each of basic slag and calcite along with a control on farmers' fields at 14 different locations. Influence of farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) on the effectiveness of the slag was also tested. On an average, basic slag performed better than calcite in increasing yields of both mustard and rice and left over higher amounts of available Ca, Si and Zn in residual soils. The slag also improved N, P, K and Ca nutrition of mustard and Si and Zn nutrition of rice with a favorable benefit:cost (B:C) ratio over the calcite (4.82 vs. 1.44). Effectiveness of the basic slag improved when it was applied in combination with FYM or PM (B:C, 5.83 and 6.27). Basic slag can, therefore, be advocated for use in the acidic red and lateritic soils for economically improving their productivity.
Bhat
Javid Ahmad
JA
Directorate of Research, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani-741 235, West Bengal, India.
Kundu
Manik Chandra
MC
Hazra
Gora Chand
GC
Santra
Gour Hari
GH
Mandal
Biswapati
B
D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D005308:Fertilizers; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008372:Manure; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000254:growth & development; D012275:Oryza / Q000254:growth & development; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*
D000143:Acids; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D005308:Fertilizers; D008372:Manure; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C016538:lime; D002119:Calcium Carbonate