NUTRIENT BUDGETING UNDER COCONUT-BASED PATCHOULI FARMING SYSTEM ON HAPLUDALF

Coconut-based farming systems are the tradition of tropical and subtropical regions. But, using patchouli [Pogostemon cablin (Blanco)] as an intercrop under coconut is of comparatively recent adoption and no information is absolutely available on the possibility of improving the quality of patchouli through better nutrient supply. A field experiment was, therefore, carried out using different sources of organic manures (M0–control, M1–FYM farmyard manure 20 tonnes ha−1, M2–pig manure 10 tonnes ha−1 and M3–vermicompost 5 tonnes ha−1) versus inorganic fertilizers (No–control, N1 - 60 kg ha−1, N2–80 kg ha−1, and N3–100 kg ha−1) within the interspaces of the coconut plantation on soil taxonomically classified as Orchic Hapludalf under humid tropics of northeast India. Application of treatment M3 alone produced maximum biomass of leaves (11.24 tonnes ha−1) followed by M2 (10.82 tonnes ha−1), and M1 (9.54 tonnes ha−1), all of which were significantly (P < 0.05) superior over M0 (7.54 tonnes ha−1). Among the var...