AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OF RICE MILL WASTES AS A SUBSTITUTION OF POTASH FERTILIZER IN POTATO (Solanum tuberosum) CULTIVATION

Abstract

Rice mills are major concern of pollution in Burdwan district, West Bengal with the generation of huge quantity of effluents and rice husk ash as wastes. The effluent contains 298 mg/L potassium whereas the ash contains 180 kg/ha potassium and 2.5 - 3.2% of organic carbon. Potato requires significant amount of potassium during cultivation. So the present research is formulated in order to apply the aforementioned wastes as a supplement of potash based chemical fertilizer. Entire experiments are conducted in a randomized block designed agricultural field with the span of three years (2007 – 2009). The first two year experiments are mainly focused in screening out of the optimum dose of effluent and rice husk ash with respect to maximum yield of tubers. Third year experiment is mainly confined to the reduction of potash based chemical potassium fertilizer along with the application of conventional N, P fertilizer, 100% effluent and 600kg/15m2 rice husk ash. Outcome reveals that 40% reduction of potash based chemical fertilizer gives rise to maximum yield and improved biochemical constituents of potato tubers.