EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON NAPA SHAK (Malva verticillata L.)

Abstract

An experimental study was carried out in the Soil Science Research Field of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, from November 2022 to February 2023. The objective was to assess the effects of several organic manures, as well as their combination, on the growth of Napa Shak. The investigation encompassed six distinct treatments: T1 = Control, T2 = Compost (2.5 t ha-1), T3 = Cow dung (5 tha-1), T4 = Vermicompost (1.25 t ha-1), T5 = Northan organic fertilizer (0.50 t ha-1), T6 = Poultry manure (5 t ha-1) was applied. The experiment follows a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Data was gathered on the following parameters: plant height (in cm), fresh shoot weight (in g), fresh root weight (in g), and the presence of post-harvest soil S (in ppm), P (in ppm), exchangeable K (in meq 100 g-1 of soil), total N (%), pH, OC (%), and OM (%). The study analyzed the impact of different organic fertilizers on the growth of Napa Shak. The highest plant height was observed at 15 DAS, 30 DAS and harvest, with T6 (poultry manure) having the highest height at 14.13, 17.40 and 21.43 cm respectively and lowest from T1was 6.37, 8.40 and 8.40 cm respectively. The highest fresh weight (3.28 g) was also observed, with T6 having the highest root weight (0.16 g). The highest N content was found in T6 at 0.16 %, followed by T5, T4, and T3 and the lowest from T1 0.09%. The highest available P was 24.33 ppm from T6 and the lowest from T1 (9.68 ppm) with having the highest available S at 16.08 ppm and lowest from T1 (7.03 ppm). T6 also had the highest OC and OM values at 0.67 and 1.17 %, with T6 treatment following T5, T3, T4, and T2 were 0.58, 0.56, 0.54 and 0.54 % respectively in terms of OC and OM and lowest form T1 (control). The study concluded that T6 fertilizer poultry manure at a rate of 5 t ha -1 produced the maximum growth of Napa Shak. Further research is needed to determine the regional adaptability of this study.