Response of pea crop in fly ash amended soil

Fly ash-a coal combustion remnant of thermal power plants has been regarded as a problematic solid waste all over the world. Indian coal is high in ash content (35–45%). Regular and periodic augmentation of fly ash reserve keeps on policy makers busy to plan for more and more area for disposal at the cost of finite land resources and techno-economically feasible and eco-friendly technologies of utilization. The macro and micro nutrients present in coal get generally concentrated in the fly ash. Application of these CCP's (coal combustion products) mixed with composted organic materials onto soil can improve the soil's physico-chemical conditions and provide essential plant nutrients for better crop growth. Present study was conducted to evaluate the fly ash potential as a soil amendment for growth and yield of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.). Field experiments have been designed to study in depth the application of fly ash, organic manure like farmyard manure (FYM), biocompost (SOM) and chemical fertilizer (CF) in different combinations. Fly ash @ 10 t/ha, FYM @ 603 kg/ha and SOM 350 kg/ha was applied. A uniform nutrient level of 20 kg N, 40 kg P and 60 kg K ha⁻¹ through these materials and chemical fertilizer was maintained for all the treatments except fly ash and control plots. Two pea cultivars Azad P1 and E6 were used in the study. The crop was raised as per appropriate agronomical practices. The number of branches, number of leaves, root length, plant height, dry matter production, net primary productivity, number of pods, pod length, seed yield and chlorophyll content were influenced by the treatments and an increase was recorded up to 90 DAS. Combined application of FA and CF with either FYM or SOM helped in improving the measured growth parameters as compared to FA alone and control. Application of organic material in conjunction with CF helped in improving nutrient supplying capacity of the soil which was further increased when FA was added as a soil amendment. Under adequate supply of nutrients, the observed growth parameters were enhanced. The positive outcome of the results of the present investigation is expected to encourage large scale use of fly ash in agriculture with an added advantage of decreasing environmental pollution; however, the changes in soil environment caused by fly ash incorporation need to be investigated on long term basis.