Assessment of Nutrient Management Technologies for Eggplant Production Under Subtropical Conditions: A Comprehensive Approach

Abstract

SUMMARYWe developed a protocol for comprehensive evaluation of nutrient management (NM) technologies for production of eggplant taking its yield, produce quality, profitability, energy balance and environmental sustainability in terms of upkeeping soil quality as the goal variables. Fifteen NM technologies comprising of three sources of nutrients viz., organics [vermicompost (VC), farmyard manure (FYM) and mustard oil cake (MOC)], inorganic fertilizations [recommended N–P–K at the rate of 100–22–42 kg ha−1 and 150% of recommended N–P–K (NPK^)] and their selected combinations were tested for growing the plants. Integrated NM technology was proved to be socio-economically sound and environment-friendly practice. It helped to upkeep soil quality by improving soil organic carbon stock, microbial biomass carbon, bulk density and available nutrients in soils. Combining all the parameters by employing non-parametric evaluation of regression factor scores through principal component analysis, the NM technology of VC3 Mg ha−1+NPK^ was found to be the best when considering the marketable fruits (12.27 Mg ha−1), economic return (benefit-cost ratio 3.3; marginal rate of return 8.7), energy conserving efficiency (net energy 113.8 GJ ha−1), soil and crop quality for human welfare. Only organics were less productive and profitable, and energetically less efficient than the integrated and inorganic NM systems and as such may not be sustainable for eggplant production in subtropical India.

Effect of integrated nutrient management in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) on micronutrient uptake and physical properties of soil

“…Treatment receiving vermicompost recorded decrease in the bulk density of soil as compared to control treatment which might be attributed to the fact that the application of organics might have caused better aggregation thereby increasing soil aeration. Decrease in bulk density with the application of biofertilizer might be ascertained to synergistic effect of organic manure and bio-fertilizers in improving the soil physical conditions.The results are also in authentication with the conclusions of Salvi et al (2015), Batabyal et al (2017) and Lakra et al (2017). Comparing a wellaggregated soil to a dispersed and poorly organised soil, the former has a lower bulk density.…”

Continuous Rice Cropping System with Integrated Use of Inorganic and Organic Sources of Nutrients for Soil Quality Improvement

“…Comparable loss of TOC (4.9%) was also reported after 36 years of continuous rice cropping under flooded condition from the same region [18]. However, greater loss of TOC even up to 60% was reported from subtropical regions [77,78] due to continuous intensive cropping without any NM. The observed lower depletion of TOC in the present experiment was because of the aquic soil moisture condition as under puddled rice-rice cropping for 7-8 months in a year and the soil being inherently low in TOC (14.08 Mg ha -1 in 0-15 cm depth, Table 4).…”

“…Additional supply of C through FYM was the obvious reason for the highest increase in TOC (26.2%) under the NPK+FYM treatment over the initial soil. Carbon added through FYM is also resistant to microbial decomposition due to higher lignin and polyphenol content in FYM [77].…”

Integrated Nutrient Management Enhances Yield, Improves Soil Quality, and Conserves Energy under the Lowland Rice–Rice Cropping System

“…The leaching of nutrients, especially cations, such as potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), leads to nutrient deficiencies. The application of chemical fertilizers without using organic manure and micronutrients further escalates deficiencies of soil nutrients [10,11]. These imbalanced nutrients reduce soil and crop quality and directly affect farm families' food and nutritional security.…”