INTEGRATING N-ENRICHED COMPOST WITH BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES FOR IMPROVING GROWTH AND YIELD OF CEREALS

Value addition of the composted organic waste material through biologically active substances (BAS) is a novel approach to convert composted material into a useful soil amendment. In the present study, compost was prepared from waste fruit and vegetables and enriched with 25% of full dose of N fertilizer for maize and wheat, respectively. Biologically active substances (BAS); indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3) and kinetin, each was added @ 1.0 mg kg -1 compost to separate batches of nitrogen enriched compost (NEC). Effectiveness of IAA, GA3 and kinetinadded NEC was compared in field in the presence of 50% recommended dose of N fertilizer for maize and wheat, respectively. Compost was applied @ 300 kg ha -1 to both crops and recommended P and K fertilizers of respective crop were applied as basal dose to all plots. Recommended dose of N fertilizer for respective crop was used for comparison. Results indicated that NEC with or without IAA/GA3 supplemented with half dose of N fertilizer was as effective as full dose of N fertilizer in improving growth and yield of maize as well as wheat, saving ~ 25% N fertilizer. However, kinetin-added compost was better than IAA/GA3-added compost when compared with recommended dose of N fertilizer. It significantly improved yield and N uptakes of maize (6.2 and 6.7%, respectively) and wheat (5.9 and 6.1%, respectively) over full dose of N fertilizer. The technology bears its promise not only to improve crop yield on sustainable basis but also reduce huge piles of organic wastes causing environmental pollution.