Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, 834006.
Present address:1 SAIL (R & D Centre for Iron and Steel), Ranchi, 834002.
Field experiments were conducted to study the effect of fly ash incorporation in soil on yield and quality of soybean and wheat crops. Results indicate that fly ash incorporation in soil increased the grain yield of both soybean and wheat crops. Per cent increase in grain yield with graded levels of fly ash (4 to 16%) ranged from 55 to 90 in soybean and from 60 to 84 in wheat. Application of graded levels of fertilizers (50 and 100% NPK) showed at par results especially at higher levels of fly ash incorporation. Considerable residual effect of fly ash was apparent on yield of wheat, but levels of fly ash incorporation did not vary significantly in this regard. Content of trace metals in soybean and wheat grain showed considerable increase when grown in fly ash incorporated soil. Trace metal uptake by crops was significantly increased by fly ash and fertilizer application in soil. Higher uptake of Pb (29 to 141 g ha−1), Ni (18 to 86 g ha−1) and Co (23 to 109 g ha−1) by wheat grown in fly ash incorporated soil is a matter of concern and can cause plant and animal health hazards.
Fly ash, soybean, wheat, trace metals, residual effect, total uptake
