Use of Vermicomposted Fly Ash as an Important Component for Integrated Nutrient Management of Potato

Large scale generation of fly ash (FA) from varying kinds of coal fired plants has now emerged as a global environmental threat. To combat the situation, various possibilities of recycling this waste material are being explored. In view of appreciable occurrence of most of the plant nutrients in FA, the possibility of recycling this waste material in agriculture as a source of these nutrients is being envisaged in many countries. However, the major problem associated with supply of plant nutrients through FA is the low bio-availability of most of the nutrients in this material. Under this context, adoption of vermicomposting biotechnology for simultaneous degradation of different organic wastes and FA with the help of some special purpose earthworms is being recommended by a group of workers. Vermicomposting helps in accelerated degradation of various kinds of wastes with the help of gut microorganisms of these earthworms. In view of the encouraging results from various studies on beneficial effects of vermicomposted fly ash (VFA) on soil properties a field study was carried out to assess the potential of VFA as a component of integrated nutrient management for potato cultivation. The on-farm trial revealed the efficiency of VFA in increasing the yield of potato under such nutrient management and the results were comparable to those with farm yard manure and vermicompost.