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INTEGRATING N-ENRICHED COMPOST WITH BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES FOR IMPROVING GROWTH AND YIELD OF CEREALS

R. AHMAD¹, M. ARSHAD², Z.A. ZAHIR^2*, M. NAVEED², M. KHALID² AND H.N. ASGHAR²

Abstract: Value addition of the composted organic waste material through biologically active substances (BAS) is a novel approach to convert composted material into a useful soil amendment. In the present study, compost was prepared from waste fruit and vegetables and enriched with 25% of full dose of N fertilizer for maize and wheat, respectively. Biologically active substances (BAS); indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA₃) and kinetin, each was added @ 1.0 mg kg^-1 compost to separate batches of nitrogen enriched compost (NEC). Effectiveness of IAA, GA₃ and kinetin-added NEC was compared in field in the presence of 50% recommended dose of N fertilizer for maize and wheat, respectively. Compost was applied @ 300 kg ha^-1 to both crops and recommended P and K fertilizers of respective crop were applied as basal dose to all plots. Recommended dose of N fertilizer for respective crop was used for comparison. Results indicated that NEC with or without IAA/GA₃ supplemented with half dose of N fertilizer was as effective as full dose of N fertilizer in improving growth and yield of maize as well as wheat, saving ~ 25% N fertilizer. However, kinetin-added compost was better than IAA/GA₃-added compost when compared with recommended dose of N fertilizer. It significantly improved yield and N uptakes of maize (6.2 and 6.7%, respectively) and wheat (5.9 and 6.1%, respectively) over full dose of N fertilizer. The technology bears its promise not only to improve crop yield on sustainable basis but also reduce huge piles of organic wastes causing environmental pollution.

¹Land Resources Research Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad-54400, Pakistan

²Institute of Soil & Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture  Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan