Effect of Humic Acid Based Multinutrient Fertilizers on Nutrient Use Efficiency and Quality of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) and Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) grown on a Typic Haplustept
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Date
2014
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IARI, SOIL SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY, New Delhi
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted at the farm of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during winter season, 2009-2010 to study the effect of different humic acid complex fertilizers and conventional chemical fertilizers on yield, nutrient content, nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cv Pusa Seetal and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv Kufri Anand grown on a Typic Haplustept. The post-harvest soil samples were also analysed for studying the impact of humic acid based fertilizers on various physical, chemical parameters. The soil biological parameters were studied at mid vegetative, 50% flowering and post harvest stages of tomato and potato. The Grow Flow 45H, a humic acid (HA) based multinutrient fertilizer manufactured by Agrichem, Australia and a HA-NPK complex fertilizers developed in the laboratory were used for the study. The ten treatments imposed in the study were 100% (T1 and T4), 75% (T2 and T5) and 50% (T3 and T6) of recommended dose (RD) of nutrients supplied through Grow Flow 45H and HA-NPK complex fertilizers. Humic acid alone (T8) and HA with chemical fertilizers (T9) were also included in the study to evaluate the effect of humic acid and when it was applied with chemical fertilizers on crop yield and quality. Chemical fertilizer (100% RD) (T7) and absolute control (without fertilizers, T10) also were taken for comparison. Grow Flow 45H (Humic acid NPK complex fertilizer) applied at recommended dose showed the highest tomato yield (33.7 t ha-1) followed by chemical fertilizer plus Supa humus (32.4 t ha-1), and chemical fertilizer (31.3 t ha-1) alone, respectively. There was 7.7% and 4.0% increase in tomato yield due to application of Grow Flow 45H over chemical fertilizer alone and chemical fertilizer plus Supa humus. In the case of potato also the application of Grow Flow 45H at recommended dose increased the tuber yield by 9.3% (31.8 t ha-1) as compared to chemical fertilizer (29.1 t ha-1) and 88.2% as compared to control (16.9 t ha-1).Significant increase in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents in tomato fruit and shoot, and potato tuber and shoot as well as higher uptake of the above nutrients in the
respective plant parts were observed due to the application of Grow Flow 45H. Grow Flow 45H increased the N, P and K use efficiencies by 19.1%, 12.2% and 21.8% in tomato and 16.4%, 9.3% and 18.3% in potato, respectivelyover chemical fertilizers. Nevertheless, the GF 45H improved the quality of fruits in terms colour, acidity, and lycopene contentof tomato and tuber quality in terms of specific gravity, starch, total and reducing sugars of potato. Though humic acid-NPK complex fertilizer developed in the laboratory was not significantly different from chemical fertilizer in respect to yield and the contents, uptake and use efficiencies of N, P and K; however the former was found to be superior to the latter. Application of Grow Flow 45H significantly improved the bulk density, aggregation, water holding capacity and infiltration rate of soil. This fertilizer also improved the soil chemical properties, available nutrients, soil microbial biomass carbon, respiration, microbial counts for bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and activities of dehydrogenase acid and alkaline phosphatases. In view of the better nutrition, fruit quality, improved nutrient use efficiency and soil health imparted by the humic acid based multi-nutrient fertilizers, the Grow Flow 45H, a product of Agrichem Australia could be an effective nutrient source for sustainable production of tomato and potato in alluvial soil of north India. The enhancement of fruit quality and tuber quality due to application of humic acid based complex fertilizer might bring better shelf life and market value of the produce linked with higher income to the farmers. However, overall the economic advantage of Grow Flow 45H in terms of saving costly conventional chemical fertilizers and improvement in soil fertility and quality should be assessed with multi-location validation trails before popularization of this fertilizer among farmers.
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Keywords
fertilizers, acidity, organic acids, nutrients, potatoes, vegetables, humus, planting, crops, yields