PJB-2007-60
GROWTH AND YIELD RESPONSE OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) AND MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) TO NITROGEN AND L-TRYPTOPHAN ENRICHED COMPOST
RIZWAN AHMAD, SHER M. SHAHZAD, AZEEM KHALID, MUHAMMAD ARSHAD* AND MUHAMMAD H. MAHMOOD
Abstract
Composting is an effective approach for recycling of the organic wastes for agriculture uses. Organic waste material of fruits and vegetables was collected and subjected to composting in a locally fabricated mechanical unit. The compost material was enriched with 25 or 50% of recommended dose of N-fertilizer and L-tryptophan (L-TRP) @ 5 mg kg-1 compost. Enriched compost was tested alone as well as in combination with 25 and 50% of an additional dose of N-fertilizer. P and K fertilizers at recommended rates were applied in all the treatments. Results of pot experiments conducted in the net house revealed that application of enriched compost significantly promoted growth and yield of both wheat and maize crops; however, application of enriched compost with 50% N was the most effective in improving grain yield and yield contributing parameters compared with control. Similarly, N, P & K contents of the wheat and maize plants were significantly improved upon application of enriched compost plus N fertilizer. Comparison of enriched compost with chemical N fertilizer indicated the superiority in terms of yield of combined application of enriched compost and N fertilizer over the chemical fertilizer alone. The findings imply that a combined use of compost and chemical fertilizer could be more effective and economical to increase the yield of crop plants on sustainable basis than the chemical fertilizer alone.
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