Mineralization Pattern of Nutrient Mix Designed for Potting Mixture Kanimozhi S.*, Subramanian P. Department of Environmental Sciences, TNAU, Coimbatore *email: kanimozhionline@gmail.com
Online published on 15 December, 2016. Abstract Mineralization is an important process which can provide mineral nutrients for plants and microorganisms by means of the biochemical degradation of soil organic matter. The essential nutrient elements are N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S. Among these nutrient elements, N ranks first in plant requirement and phosphorus (P) ranks second followed by potassium(K). N, P, and K are referred to essential nutrients because nearly all plants use them for their growth and development. Nutrient mineralization depends on application method, kind of organic matter, microbial activity, aeration and moisture. The application of nutrient mix at different doses had influenced the mineralization of nutrient. A laboratory experiment was carried out at Department of Environmental Sciences, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2013-15. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications. The results revealed that in all the treatments ammonical nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content were increased up to 90 days of incubation and then found decreased at the end of the incubation experiment (120 day of incubation). The highest available ammonical nitrogen content of 123.7 mg kg−1, nitrate nitrogen of 98 mg kg −1 phosphorus of 9.7 mg kg−1 and potassium 327 mg kg−1 of were recorded in treatment T5 was done with Press mud: Coir dust: Vermicompost: Vermiculite at the ratio (1: 1: 2: 1) and value addition ((Value addition of potting mixture with cotton seed cake, groundnut cake, rock phosphate (1.6% w/w basis) together with Azospirilium and Phosphobacterial biofertilizers @ 0.1% w/w basis) on 90 th day of incubation. Mineralization of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from nutrient mix were increased with the period of incubation u to 90 days. Top Keywords nutrient mix, mineralization, Ammoniacal nitrogen, Nitrate nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Top |