Field trails on homestead cropping pattern were conducted in the Chhiata series of the Grey Terrace Soil under AEZ-28 at Joydebpur during 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. The experiments were carried out at the green house premise of soil science division, BARI, which was high land having silty clay soil and may be regarded as homestead area. The soil was slightly acidic (pH) and low in organic matter (1.6%), total N (o.11%), available P (13 µg g-1) and exchangeable K (0.18 c mol kg-1) contents. Soil Zn content was at par with critical level, while sulphur and boron contents were slightly above the critical level. Poultry manure contained 1.8% N, 1.0% P, 1.64% K, 1.6% S and 1.5 µg g-1) Zn, while the nutrient composition in cowdung was 0.8%, 0.5%, 0.9%, 0.3% and 1ppm for N, P, K, s and Zn, respectively. Standard laboratory procedures were followed for the chemical analysis of soil and manures sample. A vegetable cropping pattern viz. Radish (early September-early November)-Tomato (mid November-mid March)-Red amaranth (early April-early may) and Indian Spinach (mid May-mid July) were grown in the same plots in succession. The first two crops were fertilized with 3 levels (0, 5 and 10 t ha-1) each of poultry manure (PM) and cowdung (CD) along with different percentages of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). In addition, the second two crops were fertilized with 3 levels (0, 2.5 and 5 t ha-1) each of PM and CD in combination with different percentages of the RD of nitrogenous fertilizer only. Thus, 10 treatments were formulated.
The experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The unit plot size was 3.0 m × 2.4 m and the experimental plots were kept fixed during the entire periods of the experiments. The seeds of the first crop radish were sown in line maintaining a spacing of 45 cm × 30 cm on 12 and 17 September 2000 and 2001, respectively. The crop was harvested on 9 November 2000 and 15 November 2001. The harvesting of tomato fruit was started on 13 and 15 February 2001 and 2002, respectively, by picking the matured fruits and subsequent harvesting was done until leaves were dried up. The harvesting of the edible vegetable was done on 2 and 7 May 2001 and 2002, respectively. The recommended dose of fertilizers for radish and tomato were N150, P35, K80, S20, kh ha-1 and N150, P35, K80, S20, B1 kg ha-1, respectively.
The radish attained maturity for edible vegetable at 40-50 days after sowing when the root crop remained succulent without any hollow in the heart. Red amaranth attained maturity at 25-30 days after sowing having 12-18 leaves plant-1 and when plants were succulent and fibreless. Tomato fruits started ripening at 70-80 days after transplanting. Indian spinach attained maturity at 30-35 days after transplanting with 11-18 leaves shoot-1. The yield and yield attributing data were recorded and analyzed statistically following IRRISTAT package.
S. Noor, N.C. Shil, M.A. Haque, 2012. Integrated Nutrient Management for sustaining Crop Yield & Soil Fertility. Soil Science Division, Bangladesh Agril. Res. Ins., Publication no. 14
The best source of organic manure over cowdung. An amount of 25% chemical fertilizers might ba saved or reduced from the present recommendation if the fertilizers are integrated with poultry manure @ 5 t ha-1. A package of 75% chemical fertilizers are integrated with poultry manure @ 5 t ha-1. A package of 75% chemical fertilizers along with 5 t ha-1 of poultry manure for the first two crops and 75% nitrogen fertilizer in combination with 2.5 t ha-1 of poultry manure for the next two crops may be recommended for maximizing the yield of Radish-Tomato-Red amaranth-Indian spinach cropping pattern at the homestead area representing Grey Terrace Soil under AEZ-28 of Gazipur District.