Effect of Mulberry Stalk Biochar, FYM and Humic Acid on Growth, Yield and Quality of Mulberry (Morus alba L.)
Hanumanta D. Lamani *
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru-560065, India.
Prakasha H. C.
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru-560065, India.
Naveen D. V.
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Sericulture, Chintamani -563125, India.
Kalyana Murthy K. N.
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru-65, India.
Rinku Verma
Department of Farm Forestry, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru-65, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in a mulberry crop to investigate the impact of soil application of mulberry stalk biochar with FYM and foliar spray of humic acid on the growth, yield and quality of mulberry at a farmer's field in Mylandlahalli Village, Chintamani Taluk, Chikkaballapura District. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with eight treatments, each replicated thrice. Result of the experiment revealed that among the various treatments applied, the combined application of biochar with FYM and humic acid (T8: Soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha-1 + FYM @10 t ha-1 + 2% Humic acid foliar spray) had significant effect on plant height (196.10 cm), number of shoots per plant (15.06), number of leaves per shoot (31.78), leaf yield (26.22 t ha-1), crude protein (20.28%) and lower crude fibre (1.56%). The next best treatments were T7 (Soil application of biochar @ 7.5 t ha-1 + FYM @10 t ha-1 + 1% foliar spray of humic acid) and T6 (Soil application of biochar @ 5 t ha-1 + FYM @10 t ha-1 + 0.5% Humic acid foliar spray) and these treatments were statistically comparable but significantly superior to the package of practice (POP).
Keywords: Mulberry, biochar, humic acid, growth, yield, quality, combined application, cultivation, agricultural residues, mulberry plants