Abstract:
A study was carried out to assess the possibilities of using different forms of Palmyrah coir dust (PCD) as a
potting soil amendment. The PCD was converted in to three different forms and applied along with NPK
fertilizer. A pot experiment was done in calcic red yellow latasol using Capsicum annum as test crop with
five treatments, namely Ti (Control-NPK fertilizer), T2 (NPK fertilizer Raw PCD), T3 (NPK fertilizer
Decomposed PCD), T4 (NPK fertilizer+Charred raw PCD) and T5 (NPK fertilizer +Charred decomposed
PCD). Oyster mushroom was cultivated in PCD for decomposition. In T2 raw PCD and soil were mixed as
1:3 (0.5kg: 1.5kg) ratios. For T3, T4 and T s , same amount of raw PCD used in T 2 was decomposed or
charred or initially decomposed then charred and mixed with the same amount of soil used in T2.
Experiment was performed in Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates. Bulk density,
porosity, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, organic matter, cation exchange
capacity (CEC), total exchangeable bases (TEB), pH and electrical conductivity of soil were determined
three weeks after transplanting. Crop yield was also measured. Total nitrogen, available nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium, organic matter, CEC and TEB significantly increased when different forms of
PCD were used as soil amendments, compared to control. Bulk density decreased and porosity increased
significantly with the application of all forms of PCD. Crop yield of T5 was the highest, however, not
significantly differed from that of T4and slightly higher than that of T 3 . Compared to treatment containing
raw PCD, all the other three PCD forms performed better with respect to yield and physicochemical
properties. By considering crop yield it was concluded that the application of charred biomass of PCD is
more useful than other forms.
