Effect of Indigenous Potash Sources on Growth and Yield of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out using RBD design with 10 treatments and 3 replications at the main campus, UHS, Bagalkot. Sugar industry by-products such as incinerated ash, distillery sludge and distillery sludge ash were utilised in the experiment to examine their effect as potassium sources on growth and yield of cauliflower. These three distillery byproducts were applied as 100, 50 and 25 per cent as replacement for chemical potassium fertilizer (K2SO4).  As a control, the final treatment was 100 per cent potassium sulphate. The N and P were supplied through urea and DAP respectively as per the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). . The higher contents of both primary and secondary nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) were observed in the treatment where 25 % of chemical fertilizer was replaced by incinerated ash. The content of these major nutrients and its uptake by the cauliflower plant was significantly higher with the treatment T­4 (25% K through incinerated ash + 75% through K2SO4). Significantly higher curd yield (15.86 t ha-1) was associated with the treatment where 25 % of potassium supply was through incinerated ash.