Biomethanated distillery spentwash application and its impact on soil health, growth and yield of Elephant foot yam

Abstract

Agrobased industries are contributing socio-economic development of the country, distillery industries are using sugarcane molasses as a raw material for alcohol production. Every litre of alcohol production ten to fifteen litres of waste water generated named as spentwash. The disposal of spentwash is a seroious issue and looking for recycling option to enhance soil health.r Distillery Spentwashis important organic liquid manure contain high amount of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and sulfur and also it contains high amount of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, boron and molybdenum. Field experiment was conducted to study the efficiency of Biomethanated distillery spentwash, on improving the yield and quality of Yam at Research and Development farm of Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd., Modur, Sathyamangalamtaluk, Erode district. Distillery Spentwashwas applied in a field with the treatments from 10 to 60 KL/ha and soil samples are collected at initial, vegetative and harvesting stage of Elephant foot yam. The application of spent wash as manure was improved soil health and resulted in increasedroot and shoot length quality and yield of Elephant foot Yam. There was enhanced available N andK status of soil with the application of spent wash, particularly for K.The increase in yield and quality parameters was observed at harvest stage of Elephant foot Yam.Application of Biomethanated Distillery Spentwashat 50 KL/ha recorded higher yield of 38.20 t /ha. Elephant foot yam quality parameters like Carbohydrate, Vitamin C, Beta carotene were significantly increased when compared to control field.