Organic and Humic Materials for Soil Fertility and Sustainable Crop Production in Coastal Sandy Soils

Inherent characteristics of sandy soils restrict the availability of micronutrients for crop plants and affect the yield of crops. A field study on groundnut was conducted in sandy upland coastal soil. The Typic Udipsament experimental soil was sandy texture and recorded pH 8.5, Electrical conductivity 1.2 dS m
^-1
and organic carbon 0.24 %. The following six treatments were studied.A
1
- Nil (C ),A
2
- Recommended NPK fertilizer to groundnut ( NPK ), A3 - Recommended NPK fertilizer + ZnSO
4
, 25 kg ha
^-1
+ Borax ( Na
2
B
4
O
7
.10H
2
O), 10 kg ha
^-1
( NPK +Zn +B), A
4
- Recommended NPK + ZnSO
4
+ Borax + composted coirpith, 10 t ha
^-1
( NPK + Zn + B + CCP), A
5
- Recommended NPK + ZnSO
4
+ Borax + composted coirpith + lignite humic acid, 20 kg ha
^-1
(NPK + Zn + B + CCP+ LHA), All the treatments were repeated 4 times in a randomized block design (RBD). At maturity stage, yield of crop was recorded. The results of the study proved the effect of organic and humic materials in increasing the availability of nutrients and increasing the microbial population and enzymatic activity of soil. Of the various treatments evaluated, coirpith + humic acid + Zn and B (A
5
), produced the maximum growth character of plant height and dry matter production. A significantly higher yield of pod (1790 kg / ha ) and haulm (2214 kg / ha ) was recorded with NPK+ Zn + B along with composted coir pith and Lignite humic acid application.