Utilization of tea plantation weeds to produce vermicompost and estimation of physiochemical changes during its production

Abstract

Application of inorganic fertilizers from the period of green revolution have increased food production by a number of times confirming the food security of the country but it has caused environmental degradation leading to health problems on animals and humans. It has forced the researchers to find out the alternative of inorganic agriculture that can balance the production and preserve the ecosystem. Vermicompost is one of them which can make a balance. Investigation was carried out to compost tea garden weeds by earthworms and assesses changes of some physiochemical properties during the process of vermicomposting. Samples for physiochemical assessment were drawn from each treatment at an interval of fifteen days. The maximum moisture content was recorded on 15 th day (64.07%) and the minimum moisture content was recorded on 90 th day (18.86). Rise in pH level was observed on 30 th day but thereafter declined gradually till 75 th day. There was a slight rise in pH level after 75 th day. The maximum percentage organic carbon in the vermicast was recorded to 32.87%. The percentage of organic carbon varied within 21.77% to 32.87%. The percentage of nitrogen varied from 1.53 to 1.78%. The percentage of available phosphorus ranged between 0.15 to 0.44%. The percentage of available potassium in from of potash ranged between 0.65 to 1.05%. Vermicompost produced from tea plantation weeds to some extend may reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the plantations.

Evaluating the impact of phytosynthesized micronutrient nanoparticles on the growth and propagation of mulberry cuttings: dose determination and toxicity concerns

“…32 Soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were determined following Saha et al 33 Bulk density was determined by dividing the dry weight of the soil material by the volume of soil or the inner volume of the auger. 34 The soil moisture content was determined following the protocol mentioned by Mukherjee et al 35 Meanwhile, the organic carbon and organic matter of the experimental soil were estimated following Mukherjee et al 35 and Sullivan et al , 36 respectively.…”

“…The Kjeldhal method was used to determine the total nitrogen content of treated and control soil. 37 Meanwhile, available phosphorus as phosphate, potassium as potash, and sulfur as sulfate were determined following Mukherjee et al 35 and Ensminger. 38 The experimental trial was carried out with 13 treatments, each with ten replications, following a split-plot design.…”

Conversion of Potato Fields into Small Tea Plantations at Bhotepatty, Mainaguri: Consequences of This Shifting Agriculture Through Survey and Soil Analysis

“…The production of ATP can regulate the rate of photosynthesis (Ghosh et al, 2022). After nitrogen, potassium is the second major nutrient required for tea cultivation (Mukherjee et al, 2018). The available potassium levels (in the form of potash) in the tea garden and potato field soils in Bhotepatty are given in Table 3.…”