Substitution of Potassium-rich Cement Kiln Flue Dust and Distillery Effluent for Potassium Fertilizers in Banana cv.Ney Poovan

摘要

In India,16.3 million tonnes of banana is produced from 4.5 lakh hectares,annually.Nearly,1500 kg of K_2O hectare~(-1)year~(-1)is removed by banana.Reaching the targeted banana production of 25 million tonnes by 2020 is impossible with the existing source of potassium.To explore the possibility and extent of utilizing locally available K-rich industrial wastes as a substitute for commercial K fertilizers,a field experiment was started with Ney Poovan banana in split plot design with three replications.Potassium rich industrial wastes like cement kiln flue dust (CKFD)and alcohol distillery effluent (DE)were applied in different combinations as main treatments with different levels of K (0,20,40,60,80 and 100 per cent recommended K).The treatment combination,CKFD at 0.5 kg plant~(-1)and DE at 30,000 liters acre~(-1)with 60 per cent recommended K (as KCl)recorded highest bunch weight of 13.59 kg,which is 25.25 per cent more than that (10.85 kg)at 100 per cent recommended commercial K fertilizer alone.Thus,CKFD +DE substituted 40 per cent of the recommended K fertilizers and produced 25.25 per cent more yield in Ney Poovan banana.Application of both CKFD and DE at the above rates in the soil maintained highest potential buffering capacity of soil for K throughout the crop growth period,when compared to CKFD alone,DE alone and control.