Technology demonstration in coconut for higher productivity and profitability in coastal ecosystem of Maharashtra State

Abstract

Integrated nutrient management involve intelligent use of organic, inorganic and biological resources so as to sustain optimum yield, improve or maintain soil chemical and physical properties and provide crop nutrition packages which are technically sound and economically attractive. In recent days, nutrient management through organic source of manures is gaining momentum for sustaining the productivity and conserving the natural resources. Hence field experiment on impact of integrated nutrient management (INM) and organics including biomass recycling in coconut based cropping system was initiated in 30 years old healthy D x T coconut plantation at Regional coconut Research Station, Bhatye, Ratnagiri (M.S) during the year 2013-14 to 2017-18. The experiment consist of four treatments T : 75 % of recommended NPK +25 % of N through organic recycling with vermi-compost, T : 50 % of RDF+ 50 % of N through organic recycling with vermi-compost + vermiwash application +bio-fertilizer application + green manuring, T : 100 % of N through organic recycling with vermi-compost +vermiwash application +bio-fertilizer application + green manuring and green leaf manuring (glyricidia leaves) + composted coir pith, husk incorporation and mulching with coconut leaves and T : control: mono-crop of coconut with recommended NPK and organic manure were imposed. The component crops were nutmeg, cinnamon, banana and pineapple. viz., 1 2 in situ 3 in situ 4 Annual leaf production did not differ among the treatments; however, integrated treatments resulted in higher number of leaves (11.79 Nos.). on nut yield indicated that, application of organic manures in combination with inorganic fertilizer either in Five years mean data 75 % of recommended NPK +25 % of N through organic recycling with vermicompost (142.47 nuts/palm/year) or 50 % of RDF+50 % of N through organic recycling with vermi-compost +vermiwash application +bio-fertilizer application + green manuring (128.96 nuts/palm/year) in situ resulted the higher nut yield. There was improvement in the nutrient status of coconut leaves with practices compared to inorganic or organic manure alone application. The soil organic carbon was higher in the treatment T . Microbial population of fungi were more in treatments T whereas the bacteria and actinomycetes present in top soil were higher in treatment T and T respectively. Earthworm population were highest in the treatment T followed by the treatment T and T . INM 1 3 1 2 3 12 The highest (2.57) benefit: cost ratio was recorded in T followed by T (2.25) as 1 2 compared to the other treatments.