Browsing by Author "Mercy George"
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ArticleItem Open Access Ammonium and nitrate release pattern from residue incorporated rice soils(Kerala Agricultural University, 1999) Beena Jacob; Mercy George; John, P S; KAUArticleItem Open Access Combined application of green manure and amophos on P nutrition and yield of rice(Kerala Agricultural University, 1999) Pushpa Joseph; Mercy George; John, P S; KAUArticleItem Open Access Comparative performance of soybean varieties(Kerala Agricultural University, 1985) Mercy George; Pushpakumari, R; Vikraman Nair, R; KAUExperiments were conducted at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during the south west monsoon seasons of 1980 and 1934 10 select soybean varieties suitable for the agro-climatic conditions of Kerala. These were laid out in randomised block design with 13 varieties during 1980 and 14 during 1984. The results of the study indicated that the varieties Bragg and EC 26691 may be adjudged as the most promising based on yield performance and consistency in yield over seasons. A further superiority of the variety, Bragg is to be recognised if protein content of seeds also is taken as a criterion.ArticleItem Open Access Effect of different maize-legume mixtures on the quality of forage under graded levels of nutrition(Kerala Agricultural University, 1984) Mercy George; Mohamed Kunju, U; KAUThesisItem Open Access Effect of incorporation of cropes residues on productivity of succeding rice crop(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellenikkara, 1994) Beena Jacob; KAU; Mercy GeorgeAn experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy during the summer and kharif seasons of 1993 to evaluate the effect of cowpea and groundnut residue incorporation on the productivity of succeeding rice crop in comparison to a green manure Sesbania rostrata and a pre-rice fallow under four levels of N (0, 35, 70, and 105 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with four replications. Biomas yield on dry weight basis was higher for groundnut and sesbania (7.0 t/ha) while N accretion was higher from cowpea (133kg N/ha). Extractable ammonium in the soil was the highest in sesbania incorporated treatments and minimum in plots preceded by fallow. Sesbania underwent faster mineralization compared to residues and mineral-N accumulation reached a peak 15 days after incorporation. Cowpea residue and sesbania incorporation resulted in higher plant height and tiller production. The dry matter production of rice by incorporation of sesbania was on par with cowpea residue when 70 kg N/ha was applied for rice. Sesbania incorporated treatments recorded the highest leaf area index whereas chlorophyll content at boot leaf stage was maximum in cowpea residue treated plots. Number of spikelets per panicle and total number of spikelets per panicle were higher in sesbania incorporated treatments which was on par with that of cowpea residue treated plots. Grain yield was higher after sesbania (3.24 t/ha) and cowpea residue (3.23 t/ha) incorporation and sesbania along with 70 kg N/ha produced the highest grain yield of 3.74 t/ha. N, P and K contents of grain were maximum when rice was grown after cowpea residue incorporation. Total uptakes of N, P and K at harvest were also the highest after cowpea residue incorporation which was statistically similar to that of sesbania incorporation. Even though NPK uptake increased by application of 105 kg N/ha, they were on par with 70 kg N/ha. Groundnut-rice system and sesbania-rice system were comparable in retaining a higher level of soil fertility. Net income was higher from groundnut-rice system whereas return per rupee invested was higher for cowpea-rice system.ArticleItem Open Access Fodder production potential of different maize legume mixtures under graded levels of nutrition(Kerala Agricultural University, 1983) Mercy George; Mohammedkunju, U; KAUThesisItem Open Access Functional efficiency of organic meal in groundnut production(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellenikkara, 2000) Senthil, S; KAU; Mercy GeorgeAn experiment entitled "Functional efficiency of organic meal on groundnut production" was carried out in the Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara during Aug.-Dec. 1999. The main objectives of the study included the elucidation of functional efficiency of organic meal in groundnut nutrition, its mechanism of influence in relation to other mineral and organic sources and role of organics in soil rhizosphere characteristics. The study also included the role of S on groundnut production and its role in modifying the availability of P component of organic meal. The Package of Practices-Recommendations (POP) with various P sources and graded levels of organic meal with or without lime were tried in Randomized Block Design with four replications. Organic meal @ 1000-1500 kg ha-I without lime and POP where P was applied as organic meal with elemental S were found to have pronounced effect on various plant growth, nutrient uptake and yield attributing characters of groundnut. These treatments also favoured the better oil and protein content and yield, which in turn resulted in higher returns per rupee invested. Addition of any form of organic manure IS necessary for the better rhizosphere microbial activity in the soil. The very high yields of groundnut resulted with depletion of soil organic carbon level, which necessitated a higher level of application of organic matter to the soil, or incorporation of groundnut residue to compensate it. Nutrient use efficiency analysis suggested that the yield could be further improved through altering the applied input level of Ca, P and S. This experiment also conveyed that the present recommendation level of lime and sulphur was not necessary for higher production in Vellanikkara situations. But additional amount of phosphorus than POP recommendations for high yielding varieties of groundnut like VRJ-4 is required.ThesisItem Open Access Nutrient management in cashew nursery(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2003) Sinish, M S; KAU; Mercy GeorgeThe experiment on "Nutrient management in cashew nursery" was taken up during 2002-2003 at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur. The experimental site was Cashew Research. Station, Madakkathara, Kerala Agricultural University. It consisted of two parts viz., management practices for cashew root stock production and the management practices of cashew grafts. The experiment on the management practices for cashew root stock production was conducted to select the best organic sources (cowdung, poultry manure, coirpith compost) of nutrients in the potting media and to find the effect of Azaspirillum, Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi inoculation on the growth of root stocks. The-bulk density and particle density were found to be decreased and by the application of organic manure in the potting mixtures and the lowest was found with coirpith compost. The pore space and water holding capacity were increased by the organic manur~s in the potting mixtures and the maximum was observed with coirpith compost. In all the organic manure containing potting mixtures combined inoculation of Azospirillum, PSB and AMF decreased the days taken for germination, compared to single inoculation and the minimum was observed in coirpith compost applied treatment. The maximum germination percentage was found with AMF inoculation in cowdung containing potting mixture and Azospirillum+ PSB+ AMF inoculated potting mixtures of cowdung and coirpith compost. Among the different potting mixtures, a higher growth rate of seedlings were observed in the potting mixture containing sand:soil:cowdung+ Azospirillum+ PSB+ AMF . The care and management of grafts in the nursery involved soil and foliar application of nutrients in the second part of the experiment. Here all the treatments were having the" same potting mixture (sand:soil:cowdung+ Azospirillum+PSB"+AMF) and nutrient supplementation through various sources were given at 1 MAG and 3 MAG through soil and foliar application respectively. The performance of the grafts were found "better With the soil application of 100 ml of decanted extract of groundnut cake + 100 ml of 17: 17: 17 mixture (prepared by 100g 17:17:17 mixture added in 10 1 water) "at 1 MAG followed by 2% 17:f7:17 spray at 3 MAG.ThesisItem Open Access Organic recycling through cocoa litter(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellenikkara, 1997) Sreekala, N V; KAU; Mercy GeorgeA field experiment was conducted in the cocoa fields of Cadbury – KAU Co-operative Cocoa Research Project, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, to study the organic recycling through cocoa litter. The objectives of the study were to find out the time required for natural senescence of cocoa leaves, to estimate the quantity of litter produced in a cocoa field in an year, to quantify the nutrient return through litter fall and to find out the rate of decomposition of cocoa litter. The studies were carried out both in shaded and unshaded cocoa fields, except the litter decomposition study which was carried out in the shaded field only. The lifespan of cocoa leaves was found to be significantly different in the shaded and open fields, ranging from 94 to 193 days in the open condition and from 108 to 159 days in the shaded condition. The quantity of litter produced was significantly influenced by the season, shaded/open condition and their interaction. The total annual litter fall was 5.3 t ha-1 in the shaded field and 8.2 t ha-1 in the open field. In both the fields, litter fall was maximum during December to march with the peak occurring in the first fortnight January. Litter fall was lower during the wetter months of the year. The nutrient return through litter fall was higher in the unshaded field. In the shaded field, the nutrient return through litter fall from a hectare for an year was 66.9, 5.0, 59.7, 84.9 and 40.3 kilograms of N,P,K Ca and Mg. respectively. In the open field, the annual nutrient addition through litter fall from a hectare was 109.7, 6.8, 104.2, 103.7 and 57.4 kilograms of N,P,K, Ca and Mg. respectively. Litter decomposition followed a biphasic pattern with an initial rapid phase and a subsequent slower phase. About 95 per cent of dry weight of litter was decomposed during the rapid phase of first four months and it took eight more months for decomposition of 98.9 per cent of the original weight.ArticleItem Open Access Productivity of cashew as influenced by chlorophyll and leaf nitrogen content(Kerala Agricultural University, 1994) Latha, A; John, P S; Mercy George; Krishnan, S; KAUArticleItem Open Access Productivity of rice in relation to nitrogen management(Kerala Agricultural University, 1994) John, P S; Mercy George; Latha, A; KAUArticleItem Open Access Response of cashew to nutrient application in laterite soil(Kerala Agricultural University, 1991) Latha, A; John, P S; Mercy George; KAUThe response of cashew grown in laterite soil to long term application of nutrients at different levels was studied in terms of yield attributing characters and yield. The quadratic response in yield observed with increasing levels of individual primary nutrients necessitated the estimation of optimum economic dose and were worked out to be 748 g N, 329 g P,O5 and 765 g K,O per tree per year.ThesisItem Open Access Response of piper longum in coconut gardens to differential spacing and manurial regimes(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellenikkara, 1996) Sheela, N; KAU; Mercy GeorgeAn experiment was conducted during 1994-95 in the KADP farm of the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, to evaluate the response of piper longum as an intercrop in coconut gardens to differential spacing and manorial regimes. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with three replications. The study revealed that plant height, number of branches, number of leaves and total dry matter increased with higher dose of organic manure and 30:30:60 NPK kg ha-1. The optimum spacing was found to be 50 x 50 cm. the above treatment recorded the maximum number of spikes and total dry spike yield (449 kg ha-1). The NPK content of spikes was more than vegetative parts. The nitrogen content decreased as the crop grew but phosphorus content increased and potassium content remained more or less same. The uptake of N,P and K was highest in fertilizer applied plots. The total alkaloid yield was highest in the treatment receiving 50 x50 cm spacing, 20 t ha-1 organic manure and 30:30:60 NPK kg ha-1. The organic and inorganic fertilizers and their combinations did not have any significant effect on the chemical properties of soil. However the plots receiving inorganic fertilizers alone showed a reducing trend in available N, P and K. Thippali cultivation involves high investment for planting material and maintenance and harvesting are also labour intensive. The labour cost in Kerala is very high. It is a crop which requires a periodical harvesting (maximum yield in July –August and October – November months) and care should be taken to harvest only the mature spikes. Thippali being a perennial crop, no net return could be obtained in the first year of planting. The yield level indicated that it should be a profitable crop from the second year of planting.