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Utilization of Rice Straw Compost for Strawberry and Tomato Production

R Ashrafi
Planning and Development Section, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh 2202

M Kamruzzaman
Planning and Development Section, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh 2202

MSAA Mamun
Planning and Development Section, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh 2202

HA Begum
Research Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The use of agricultural waste is of great interest to sustainable agriculture. An investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of compost and compost tea made from agricultural waste rice straw on the yield and quality of two horticultural crops strawberry and tomato. In strawberry experiment, six treatments were considered which wereT₁: 100% soil (as a control), T₂: 80% soil + 20% compost, T₃: 60% soil + 40% compost, T₄: 40% soil + 60% compost, T₅: 20% soil + 80% compost & T₆: 100% compost. Results revealed that number of fruit, fruit yield and total sugar (%)was increased with the increasing level of compost up to 80% after that decreased at 100% compost. The treatment T₅: 20% soil + 80% compost gave the best results among the treatments to grow strawberry with good yield (185.3 g/plant) and sweetness (total sugar 5.19%). On the other hand, six treatments i.e. T₁: Control, T₂: Compost (5 t/ha), T₃: Compost tea (50% concentration), T₄: Compost (5 t/ha) + Compost tea (50% concentration), T₅: Compost tea (100% concentration) and T₆: Compost (5t/ha) + Compost tea (100% concentration) were considered in tomato experiment. As a result, it was observed that combined application of compost (5 t/ha) along with compost tea (100% conc.) (T₆) gave the highest yield of tomato than not only control (T₁) but also single application of compost or compost tea (T_2,T_3,T₄&T₅). Level of compost tea concentration also showed significant effect on fruit yield of tomato. Comparing between treatment T₄and T_6,fruit yield was found higher (1027.67 g/plant) in treatment T₆: Compost (5t/ha) + Compost tea (100% conc.) than 961.3 g/plant in T₄: Compost (5 t/ha) + Compost tea (50% conc.). So, it could be summarized that use of rice straw as compost and compost tea affects positively both in two experiments. The results of this study confirm the beneficial effects of compost to increase the yield and sweetness of strawberry and combination of compost and compost tea to increase the yield of tomato.

Keywords: Rice straw; Compost; Compost tea; Strawberry; Tomato

Location: BINA substation farm, Jamalpur

Start Date: 00-11-2016

End Date: 00-03-2018

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Vermicompost and vermiculture

Objectives:

To evaluate the effects of compost and compost tea made from agricultural waste rice straw on the yield and quality of two horticultural crops strawberry and tomato.

Methodology:

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the efficiency of utilizing compost in strawberry production and combined application of compost and compost tea in tomato production. Experiments on strawberry and tomato were conducted at BINA substation farm, Jamalpur during November 2016 to March 2017 and November 2017 to April 2018, respectively. Compost and compost tea preparation: Rice straw was cut into small pieces and heaped into piles under a cover shed over a 12-week period. Pile was constructed at a size of 5 ft x 2 ft x 2.33 ft (length x width x height). Compost material was watered and mixed properly to maintain moisture percent at 60 –70%. After that moistened composting materials were spreaded in the pile by maintaining a layer of 6-inch straw with 2-inch layer containing cowdung and grasses for rapid composting. The pile was covered by using a piece of polyethylene. Moisture content of the feed was kept at around 60 – 70% throughout the composting period by sprinkling adequate quantities of water. The compost pile was turned twice a month for the first 10 weeks and then the materials were allowed to attain maturity over a period of 2 weeks, with no turning. Following active composting method, the composted material was allowed for curing over a minimum of one month to create more stable compost. Compost tea was prepared by brewing compost and water at a ratio 1:5. Aeration was done manually using a stick 3 times a day for 10 minutes in each time. For foliar spray application, compost tea was mixed with water to prepare compost tea blend 50% concentration. Compost tea was prepared each time of spraying.

Experimental trial: The experiment on strawberry was conducted at BINA substation farm, Jamalpur during the period from November 2016 to March 2017. Six treatments were considered in this experiment which were T₁: 100% soil, T₂: 80% soil + 20% compost, T₃: 60% soil + 40% compost, T₄: 40% soil + 60% compost, T₅: 20% soil + 80% compost & T₆: 100% compost. Eighteen pots were taken and filled with soil and compost according to the ratio of soil and compost used in the treatments. Strawberry variety Rabi 3 was used in this study. Strawberry seedlings were hand- transplanted to the irrigated pot on 19 November 2016. One seedling was planted in each pot. Intercultural operations were done as necessity. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Data on number fruits per plant (no./plant) and yield per plant (g/plant) were recorded immediate after harvesting of the fruits. Biochemical analysis was performed to measure sugar contents. Total sugar content was determined by the Anthrone method as per Dubois et al. (1951). The experiment on tomato was conducted also at BINA substation farm, Jamalpur during the period of November 2017 to April 2018. Six treatments were considered in this experiment which were T₁: Control, T₂: Compost (5 t/ha), T₃: Compost tea (50% concentration), T₄: Compost (5 t/ha) + Compost tea (50% concentration), T₅: Compost tea (100% concentration) and T6: Compost (5t/ha) + Compost tea (100% concentration). Eighteen pots were taken and filled with soil of 16 kg and compost according to the treatments. Tomato seedlings were hand-transplanted to the irrigated pot on 14 December 2017. Three seedlings were planted in each pot. After seedling establishment 1 seedling was uprooted to keep 2 seedlings in each pot. Intercultural operations were done as necessity. Compost tea was sprayed once a week start after 10 days of transplanting. It was sprayed a total of five times. No fungicide was used in this experiment. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Data were recorded on plant height, number of fruits per plant (no./plant) and yield per plant (g/plant) immediate after harvesting. Statistical analysis: The data were collected on various parameters from both of the experiments. The collected data were then statistically analyzed using Statistix10 software and the significance was tested by ANOVA. The means of different parameters were compared by Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 1% or 5% level of probability (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

Source of Information: Progressive Agriculture 30 (4): 335-343, 2019

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/pa.v30i4.46887

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A large number of rice straw usually referred as agricultural waste is produced in the rice based cropping system in Bangladesh. Considering sustainable agriculture system and to address food and nutrition security through resource maximization, there is need to utilize rice straw in a proper way. Composting is effective, low cost and environmentally friendly process to recycle this waste product into a valuable resource. In this study it could be concluded that compost based fertilization through direct application in the soil and foliar application by using compost tea have positive effect on the yield and quality of vegetable crops strawberry and tomato. In the study 80% compost along with 20% soil in potting media produced the highest yield with highest sweetness of strawberry. On the other hand, combined application of compost (5 t/ha) and compost tea (100%) gave the best results in the number and yield of tomato. So the use of compost and compost tea through fertigation and foliar spray make the agricultural waste a resource that can be utilized and not just discarded. So the recycling of rice straw waste into compost and compost teas is being promoted as a viable option for treating waste material and use in horticultural crop

Knowledge Management: Journal