EFFECT OF TREATED DISTILLERY EFFLUENT AND FERTILIZERS

ON SOIL AVAILABLE NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND YIELD OF RICE

(Oryza sativa L.)
1

K. Sivasabari, 2Chithra.L

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and
Research Institute, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
E-mail: 1sabarisiva3@gmail.com
ABSTARCT: The long term experiment was conducted since 2008 at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research
Institute, Trichy, Tamil Nadu with Rice (TRY-1) as 10 th test crop during November, 2012 in the ongoing experiment with an
objective to study the effect of treated distillery effluent and NPK fertilizers on soil available N, K and the yield of rice crop. The
treatments were replicated twice in a split plot design. There were four main plots viz., M 1 (Continuous application of TDE), M2
(TDE application at once in two years), M 3 (TDE application at once in three years) and M 4 (Control) and six fertilizer levels in
subplots viz., S1 (Control), S2 (100 % recommended doses of NPK), S3 (50 % N alone), S4 (50 % N+50 % K), S5 (100 % N alone)
andS6 (100 % N + 50 % K) . The experimental results revealed that, the soil available N (252- 312 kg ha -1) and K (185-479 kg
ha-1) increased from the initial soil status to active tillering stage due to application of treated distillery effluent. The continuous
application of TDE along with 100 % RD of NPK (M 1S2) recorded highest grain yield and straw yield (5745 & 6894 kg ha -1)
which was on par with the continuous application of TDE along with 100 % N+ 50 % K (5700 & 6840 kg ha -1) and the
continuous application of TDE with 50 % N alone (5670 & 6804 kg ha -1). The control (M4S1) recorded the lowest grain and
straw yield (2184 & 2228 kg ha -1). This furnished the cost towards K fertilizer can be reduced by application of TDE thereby the
farmers can benefited by saving the fertilizer cost and also increased the yield of rice crop.
Key words: Treated distillery effluent, Available nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), rice, yield

1. INTRODUCTION

production of 5.67 M t and an average productivity of

The spentwash is used for power generation

3,070 kg ha-1 (Anon, 2009). The use of inorganic

resulting in the release of treated distillery effluent

fertilizer is becoming costlier day by day. Hence,

(TDE). The Treated Distillery Effluent (TDE) is a

there is a need to follow nutrient management for

by-product of sugarcane based distillery waste

long term and sustainable basis to increase the crop

material which is non-harmful, bio-degradable and of

yield. In this context, the use of inorganic fertilizers

purely plant origin. The treated distillery effluent

alone is depleting the soil nutrients, especially

contains considerable amount of N and P, rich in K,

secondary and micronutrients and thereby the soil

Ca, Mg, S and trace amount of Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn

health is also deteriorating. To increase the yield of

(Mohammed Haroon and Subash Chandra Bose,

rice and to decrease the burden caused to the farmers

2004). In India, rice is the major staple food and a

by the expenditure towards the fertilizer cost, it is

mainstay for the rural population and their food

better to go for agro-based waste material as a source

security. Tamil Nadu is the fifth largest producer of

of nutrient to the crop.

rice and it is grown in an area of 1.85 M ha with the

sugarcane based industrial waste material viz., TDE

In this situation, the

EFFECT OF TREATED DISTILLERY EFFLUENT AND FERTILIZERS ON SOIL AVAILABLE NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND YIELD OF RICE
(Oryza sativa L.)

can play a vital role in supplementing the crop

were subjected to statistical scrutiny by using

nutrition. Keeping the above facts in view, the current

AGRESS software.

study was aimed to find out the effect of TDE along

with fertilizers on soil available N, K and yield of

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

rice in sodic soil.

3.1. SOIL AVAILABLE N AND K

The soil available N and K range increased

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

A field experiment was conducted at central

from the initial soil available N (252 kg ha -1) and K

farm of Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College

(185 kg ha-1) to active tillering stage soil available N

and Research Institute Trichy, Tamilnadu with

(312 kg ha-1) and K (479 kg ha -1) Table 1. The effect

latitude of 10 45 N and longitude of 78 36 E at an

of application of TDE at different time intervals

altitude of 85 meters above mean sea levels. The

along with different doses of fertilizers was found to

initial characteristics of experimental soil were clay

be significant. The highest available nitrogen and

loam in texture with pH of 8.7 and EC of 0.20 dSm -1.

potassium status was registered in the treatment

The initial soil available NPK content was 252, 22

which received continuous application of TDE with

and 185 kg ha-1, respectively. The experimental plots

100 % RD of NPK (M 1S2). The organic form of N

were randomized based on split plot design with

supplied by TDE and inorganic form of N released by

three replications and each experimental plot size was

fertilizers into the soil available pool and there by

9 x 7 m. The main plot treatments imposed were

increased the available N content of the soil. The soil

Treated Distillery Effluent @ continuous application,

available K was increased due to the high potassium

once in two years, once in three years and control.

content of TDE. Increase in the available K content

The TDE was applied at the quantity of 1.5 lakh litres

of the surface soil was sustained even after the

ha-1. The calculated quantity of fertilizers @ control,

harvest. These results also agreed with the findings of

100 % RD of NPK, 50 % N alone, 50 %+ 50 % K,

Janaki (2008). In panicle initiation stage, the

100 % N alone and 100 % N + 5- % K was applied to

availability of N and K in the soil got decreased as

each subplot. The 30 days old rice variety TRY-1

the crop growth advanced which could be attributed

seedlings were transplanted in the main field with a

to the uptake of N and K by the crop (Sivasamy,

spacing of 25 x 25 cm @ two seedlings per hill. The

2004). There was a marginal decrease in available N

grain and straw yield were calculated based on the

content observed at the time of harvest stage, which

plot yield at harvest and expressed at 14 per cent

could

moisture. The initial soil pH and EC was determined

volatilization. (Gupta et al., 1986).

by using 1:2 soil water suspension and extract using

3.2. YIELD OF RICE

pH meter and conductivity meter, respectively

The results of the field experiment revealed that the

(Jackson,1973). The soil available N was estimated

grain and straw yield of rice was significantly

by alkaline permanganate method (Subbiah and

influenced by treated distillery effluent (TDE)

Asija, 1956) and available K was analysed by flame

application along with different doses of fertilizers.

photometer (jackson, 1973). The experimental data

The grain and straw yield ranged from 2184 to 5745

be

due

to

loss

of

nitrogen

through

kg ha-1 and 2228 to 6874 kg ha-1. (Table 2). The

EFFECT OF TREATED DISTILLERY EFFLUENT AND FERTILIZERS ON SOIL AVAILABLE NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND YIELD OF RICE
(Oryza sativa L.)

highest grain and straw yield (5745 & 6874 kg ha -1)

grain and straw yield of in the absence of TDE and

was recorded in the treatment which received

fertilizer. The increase in grain and straw yield was

continuous application of TDE @ 1.5 lakh litres per

attributed to the positive influence on the yield and

ha and recommended doses of NPK fertilizer

growth parameters viz. number of productive tillers

application (M1S2), which was on par with continuous

and thousand grain weight of the rice, plant height

application of TDE along with 100 % N + 50 % K

and number of tillers. The increase in

(M1S6). The treatment M4S1 recorded the

lowest

Table 1. Effect of TDE and fertilizers on Soil available N and K at three different stages

Active tillering stage

Treatments
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M1
Mean

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M2
Mean

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M3
Mean

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M4
Mean
CD =
(p=0.05)

M
S
MxS
SxM

Panicle initiation stage

Post harvest stage

N (kg ha-1)

K (kg ha-1)

N(kg ha-1)

K (kg ha-1)

N (kg ha-1)

340
355
348
347
353
355
349
320
342
329
330
340
341
330
290
311
301
302
310
311
304
250
275
267
268
275
274
267
17.4
5.29
19.8
10.5

721
725
716
720
715
724
720
565
582
570
585
571
581
575
435
440
420
438
422
435
431
180
200
182
193
185
195
189
4.37
9.87
18.5
19.7

295
320
295
296
318
319
307
290
310
294
293
314
313
300
276
302
286
288
301
302
292
233
280
268
270
275
276
267
11.5
0.37
11.6
0.75

690
700
692
698
694
699
695
532
540
533
537
533
539
535
418
425
420
420
419
423
420
170
180
172
175
173
177
174
3.43
7.52
14.1
15.0

291
300
274
273
298
299
289
275
290
262
263
291
292
278
262
271
253
254
269
270
261
210
262
250
250
262
263
247
10.7
0.3
10.7
0.6

K (kg ha-1)
677
685
679
683
680
684
680
515
525
517
520
519
522
519
410
420
412
415
414
417
414
170
178
170
173
172
175
172
6.55
8.70
17.1
17.4

EFFECT OF TREATED DISTILLERY EFFLUENT AND FERTILIZERS ON SOIL AVAILABLE NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND YIELD OF RICE
(Oryza sativa L.)

Table 2. Effect of TDE and different doses of NPK fertilizers on grain and straw yield (kg ha-1)

Treatments

Grain yield (kg ha-1)

Straw yield (kg ha-1)

4218
5745
5520
5607
5670
5700
5610
3820
5311
4620
4565
5164
5231
4785
3246
4927
3810
3875
4583
4667
4151
2184
4120
2865
3176
3498
3784
3271
125.6
149.7
300.2
299.5

5062
6894
6624
6727
6804
6840
6491
4508
6267
5334
5387
6095
6173
5627
3765
5483
4481
4495
5316
5414
4825
2228
4202
2922
3240
3568
4014
3362
150.8
169.4
343.3
338.9

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M1

Mean
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M2

Mean
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

M3

Mean
M4

Mean
CD
(P= 0.05)

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
M
S
MxS
SxM

serve as a good liquid fertilizer for rice crop. In the

available nutrients viz., N, P, K, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn

potassium skipped plots, the yields were found to be

as recorded in the TDE applied soils supported the

comparable with 100 % RD of NPK. The continuous

above findings. Similar findings were also reported

application of TDE along with 100 % RD of NP

by saliha (2005) and Rodrigo et al. (2008).

could be recommended for rice in fine textured soil

4. CONCLUSION

(clay loam). Hence, the cost towards K fertilizer can

From the experimental observations, it may

be reduced by application of TDE thereby the farmers

be concluded that continuous application of TDE

can benefited by saving the fertilizer cost.

which is every year @ 1.5 lakh litres per ha may

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

EFFECT OF TREATED DISTILLERY EFFLUENT AND FERTILIZERS ON SOIL AVAILABLE NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND YIELD OF RICE
(Oryza sativa L.)

I wish to thank M/s. Chemplast Sanmar

Pvt Ltd, Panruti for providing financial support
through Junior Research fellowship to carry out my
master degree research work successfully.
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Jackson M.L. (1973). Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentice

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