VERMICOMPOST WITH CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS IMPACT ON GROUNDNUT YIELD AND SOIL FERTILITY IN CHARLAND

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted on the growth of groundnuts in a farmers’ field in Nouvanger Char, Jamalpur, Bangladesh by combining vermicompost with chemical fertilizer during the rabi season of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The goals were to increase groundnut yield, to boost soil fertility and to improve the stock of organic carbon in soil. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was employed to set up the experiment and the test crop was BARI Chinabadam-9.There were seven different treatments: T1 was100 % RDCF (control), T2 was 100 % RDCF + vermicompost @ 1 t ha-1, T3 was 100 % RDCF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1, T4 was 85% RDCF + vermicompost @ 1 t ha-1, T5 was 85% RDCF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1, T6 was 70% RDCF + vermicompost @ 1 t ha-1 and T7 was 70% RDCF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1. According to two years’ worth of average data, the combined use of vermicompost and chemical fertilizer boosted groundnut output and BCR compared to the solitary application of chemical fertilizers. T5 treatment (85% RDCF + VC @ 3 t ha-1) provided the highest average groundnut yield (2.16 t ha-1) out of all the treatments, which was 19.33% greater than 100% RDCF dose. On the other side, groundnut yield gradually dropped as chemical fertilizers were reduced. The T6 treatment (70% RD + vermicompost @ 1 t ha-1) had the lowest average ground nut yield which was 1.55 t ha-1. Integrated treatment outperformed sole chemical treatment in terms of soil organic matter and N, P, and K contents of post-harvest soils. The amount of organic carbon in the soil as well as its stock and buildup increased as a result of integrated treatment. Given the overall results, farmers can be encouraged to grow groundnuts in charland using 85% chemical fertilizer with vermicompost @ 3 t ha−1 application. With this combination, farmers would be able to boost groundnut productivity, improving their income and way of life.