G. K. Ghosh

Visva Bharati University · Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry

The present study's objective was to evaluate the content of macronutrients (N, P, K, S) in relation to some physicochemical properties of lateritic soils of Bankura district of West Bengal, India. Altogether 99 soil surface samples were collected from nine blocks namely Bankura II, Onda, Bisnupur, Barjora, Raipur, Sarenga, Bankura I, Gangajalghati...

Single super phosphate (SSP) is a multi-nutrient fertilizer containing P, S, Ca, and traces of micronutrients. The use of fertilizers in the country started with this fertilizer only in 1906. The share of SSP in the total supply of P2O5 started declining due to the development of other high-analysis phosphatic fertilizers. Raw materials used for th...

The goal of the current investigation was to evaluate the state of DTPA-extractable cationic micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu) concerning some properties of soils of Bankura district, West Bengal. Ninety-nine soil samples in all (0-15 cm) were collected from 9 blocks (viz., Bankura II, Onda, Bisnupur, Barjora, Raipur, Sarenga, Bankura I, Gangajal...

Micronutrients are essential for plant growth because they serve as catalysts for a variety of organic reactions occurring inside the plant. But it is observed that the red, lateritic and associated soils of eastern India are acidic in soil reaction, light textured, low organic matter and P and are often deficient in S and micronutrients like Zn, B...

The aim of the study was to improve yield, quality and nutritional value of broccoli head with different dose and application methods of zinc and boron and also decide the best possible treatment combination. The experiment was conducted in Palli sikhsha bhavana, agriculture farm, Visva Bharati (Sriniketan) during rabi seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-2...

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important vegetable crop from Solanaceae family. It is an important source of Vitamin A, C and minerals like potassium, folate and vitamin E, soluble and insoluble dietary fibers. And major contributors of antioxidants such as carotenoids (Especially, lycopene and β-carotene), phenolics, ascorbic acid. This ex...

Sulphur (S) deficiency is widespread in Indian soils, and it has been emerging as a major problem in rice-growing lateritic soils of West Bengal. The vertical distribution of S forms and their relationships with soil physicochemical properties were examined in 50 rice-growing locations of lateritic soils of West Bengal, India, for the current study...

The residual effect of different thicknesses of nonwoven jute agro-textile mulches (NJATM), rice straw, and black polythene on the yield of maize, soil fertility, soil moisture, microbial population, and weed suppression was studied in lateritic soil of eastern India after broccoli. Results indicated that residual 400 gsm (grams per square meter) N...

The present study was conducted at Institute of Agriculture (Palli Siksha Bhavana), Visva-Bharati West Bengal, India during 2019–20 to evaluate the extractability of different extractants for extraction of cationic micronutrients in lateritic soils of West Bengal under rice based cropping system. Fifty surface (0‒15 cm) samples were collected from...

Foliar application can be used along with the soil application of fertilizers to enhance the yield and quality of crops for a sustainable approach to nutrient management. In this context, a field experiment was conducted with green gram (cv: NVL-516) in anacidic soil of the Agricultural Research Farm, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar with the obj...

To evaluate the effect of different crop establishment methods and nutrient management practices in rice-green based cropping sequence, a field experiment was conducted atKrishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Longleng, Nagaland during kharif and rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20. Two crop establishment methods, viz. Farmer pra...

Coupling of soil and foliar application of fertilizers can be adapted to improve the yield and quality of crops could be a viable option for nutrient management. A field experiment was thus conducted with green gram (CV: NVL-516) in an acidic soil of the Agricultural Research Farm, Siksha "O" Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar in order to study the impact of...

Sulphur (S) deficiency is widespread in Indian soils, and it has been emerging as a major problem in rice-growing lateritic soils of West Bengal. The vertical distribution of S forms and their relationships with soil physicochemical properties were examined in 50 rice-growing locations of lateritic soils of West Bengal, India, for the current study...

Rice-based cropping system is a major food production system in India with rice as the first food crop followed by subsequent cultivation of other crops. The promotion of rice based pulses through various cropping sequence by supplying suitable nutrient management is very necessary. Integrated farming systems seem to be the probable key to the cont...

Experiment was conducted to assess the effect of combined application of biochar and organic manure amendment in an acidic hilly soil on grain quality, nutrient contents, biomolecular composition and biochemical response, and energy budgeting as well as soil quality under maize-black gram cropping system. Our results suggested that biochar applicat...

Till date there is not much concrete data available linking valorization of biomass-derived engineered biochar for soil, plant, water system, and microbial dynamics under changing climatic conditions. This review article deals with the abovementioned burning topic by collection of world literature. It summarizes the conversion of biomass into bioch...

The present paper deals with the assessment of the status of macronutrients viz., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) in relation to soil properties in the selected blocks of Birbhum district, West Bengal. A total of 100 soil samples from 5 blocks (twenty from each five blocks viz., Suri II, Rampurhat II, Md Bazar, Nalhati I...

The present study was conducted at Experimental Farm, College of Agriculture, Tripura with an aim to find out the effect of different methods of Zn application on maize crop during rabi season of 2018−19 (November−February). The experiment was laid out in Randomized block design (RBD) and replicated three times. In this experiment, zinc was applied...

Biochar, organic manure, and their combination are promising organic amendment for improving hydro-physical properties of sandy soils. It has been investigated the effect of organic manures and biochar on some selective soil physical properties after 6 years of maize-black gram cropping system in a sandy loam acidic mountain soil of India. Soil wat...

We studied the influence of organic manures and biochar on structural stability of various soil aggregates and associated carbon contents after 6 years of maize–black gram cropping system in a sandy loam soil of India. The tensile strength was highest in poultry manure (1.02–1.12 kPa) and lowest in farm yard manure-FYM (0.77–0.87 kPa) treatment at...

With the aim to develop superabsorbent and moisture retaining hydrogel-biochar composite for agricultural applications and as a controlled released fertilizer it was synthesized through graft-polymerization onto pine resin backbone. The biochar produced at 600 °C and morpho-mineralogically characterized. The N–P–K nutrient impregnated biochar was p...

The organic manures and biochar amendment plays a pivotal role in organic production system. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic sources of nutrients and low-cost biochar technology on maize and black gram yield along with mineral nutrients acquisition pattern under fully organic production system. The results of this study reve...

Lower utilization efficiency of phosphorus (P) in soils is a major setback for the agricultural sector. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of compost enriched with Rock phosphate on fractions of P in soil and how these forms affect the bioavailability of P in Rice. P fertilization was performed with the enriched compost and c...

There has been an augmented attention for broad application of biochar-based slow-release fertilizer (SRF) to agricultural soils in recent years. It was synthesized four dissimilar biochar-based slow-release N-P-K fertilizer using nutrient impregnation technique and evaluated for nutrient release patterns, leaching behavior, yield, and soil health....

Four diverse biochars were impregnated into secondary and micronutrient solutions to develop slow release nano-fertilizer via a three-step synthesis process and to verify the appropriateness of biochar as a support material for nutrient release patterns to crops on a slow release basis. The nano range (8.33–24.33 nm), such as the structure of the s...

Biochar application to soil has been projected as an approach to improve soil quality, which can also influence soil microbial activities. In this experiment, we have utilized four dissimilar feedstocks derived biochar amendments. The highest microbial biomass carbon was found in Lantana camara (LC) biochar followed by pine needle (PN), maize stalk...

Since studies on biochar stability in agricultural soils are very limited, the microbial biomass carbon and soil enzyme activity influenced by biochar addition to field condition remains uncertain. Results of this study revealed that microbial biomass carbon and different soil enzyme activity were significantly influenced by both manure alone and c...

The collective utilization of biochar and organic manure represents the profit to plants and nutrient cycling. In this experiment, the maize (stalk and cob) biomass was pyrolyzed at 600 °C and morpho-mineralogically characterized. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) image represented cross-linked pores and feathery plate–like layer construction...

Phosphorus (P) is one of the major essential macronutrients for biological growth and metabolism of plants. Tea (Camellia sinensis L) plantation requires adequate amount of P for the proper yield of tea leaves. However, due to acidic nature of tea growing soils, phosphorus fixation is a common phenomenon. A close look at the different pools of soil...

It was quantified the influence of four different biomasses viz. tree, weed and crop on twenty compositional characteristics of produced biochar for their wide range of environmental application. The removal of most widespread heavy metal ions (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and arsenic (As)) by adsorption on four bioc...

Biochar production from waste biomass are attracting huge interest as a low cost amendment due to its potential numerous benefits to modern science, technology, and environment as well as its ability to sequester carbon in soil. Until now, there is not much concrete data available linking biochar application for sustainable environment and modern s...

A study was undertaken to investigate the rate of dissolution of the various Phosphorus (P) sources in an alluvial soil of Bihar under an incubation experiment in the laboratory for 35 days with 5 treatments viz., Control; RP (Rock Phosphate) @ 100% of the RDP (Recommended Dose of Phosphorus); 100% of RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizer NPK); REC (...

We have quantified the influence of different pyrolysis temperature and feedstocks types on thirty six compositional characteristics of biochar. The properties of biochar were principally influenced more by the feedstocks type than pyrolytic temperature. Higher porosity and surface area illustrated its soil structural modification and nutrient rete...

A field experiment was conducted on rice during kharif season of 2015 using different doses of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium as per recommended practices along with FYM @ 5tha-1, and micronutrients viz. boron and zinc using black gram as the test crop. All samples are processed and chemical analysis of plant and seed samples as well as protein co...

Ecotoxicological measurement is vital for unbeaten soil-based/soil-less amendment with bioenergy by-products like biochar and the germination experiment is a trustworthy method for different types of biochar phytotoxicity investigation. An experiment was conducted to study the ecotoxicological responses of four weed biochar on seed germination and...

There is relatively little information about root architecture response under various cropping systems. This research concerns the influence of rock phosphate enriched compost and microbial inoculants on root morphology and root colonization through Arbuscular Mychorrhizal fungi under rice crop. In this study, we estimated the root length (RL), roo...

It has been quantified the influence of four feedstocks and three pyrolysis temperature on twenty nine morpho-mineralogical characteristics of biochar for their wide range of environmental and soil application. The morpho-mineralogical characteristics were principally manipulated by feedstocks rather than pyrolysis temperature. With increase in pyr...

Utilizing of biochar as an amendment for environmental management has been a catalyst for the recent global enthusiasm for advancing biochar production technology and its management. While both research and development of biochar for environmental management at a global scale are a somewhat recent development, it is by no means new in certain regio...

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Farm of Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan during pre-kharif 2015 to assess the response of balance fertilization on available nutrient status, yield, nutrient uptake and protein content of black gram in red and lateritic soils of West Bengal. The experiment was laid out in randomized bl...

Biochar production from agro-environmental waste biomass is attracting huge interest as a low-cost amendment due to its potential numerous benefits to agriculture and environment, as well as its ability to store soil water. This review summarizes the influences of biomass-derived low-cost biochar on agriculture and environmental health, crop respon...

A study was under taken to assess the DTPA-extractable micronutrients in the soils under rice based cropping system in Birbhum district, West Bengal, India. The aim of this study was to examine the micronutrient status of selected soils to investigate the soil fertility and to determine correlation between physico-chemical properties (pH, EC, OC) a...

Glass fertilizers in the phosphate systems were melted at 900-950 °C with a soaking period of 1 h. Leaching study of these glasses with a maximum time period of 300 h was conducted under Soxhlet distillation condition with distilled water. Weight loss and the leach rates of the glass fertilizer samples were calculated from BET surface area measurem...

Seed treatment with biomass-derived biochar has potential to overcome the moisture, nutrients, and hormonal constraint on native germination and early growth. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of biochars obtained from four divergent biomass on seed germination and seedling growth of maize and black gram. All the b...

Integrated nutrient management (INM) is a strategy for judicious and balanced use of plant nutrients for sustainable crop production under varied agro-climatic conditions. Results from on-farm and farmer’s fields of Jharkhand and Odisha (Eastern Plateau and Hill Region) states of India reveal the imperative need to use organic manures, biofertilize...

The present investigation was carried out for evaluation of the status of DTPA- Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu in relation with physico-chemical properties in soils of Birbhum district, West Bengal. Total 90 surface soil samples were collected from three different blocks namely Md. Bazar, Nalhati and Bolpur. Collected soil samples were analyzed for pH, electri...

Onion is a very important commercial vegetable crop in the kitchens of India. Sulphur is an important nutrient that affects the yield and quality of onion. Keeping this in view an experiment was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of sulphur on yield and quality of onion at Horticultural Research Farm of Institute of Agriculture, Visva-B...

The utilization of biochar as an amendment to improve soil health and the environment has been a catalyst for the recent global enthusiasm for advancing biochar production technology and its management. Biochar is simply carbon rich charcoal-like substance which is created by heating biomass (organic matter) in limited oxygen condition, through a p...

Sulphur and Zn are the two most Limitng nutrients for the yield and quality of Safflower in red and lateritic Alfisols of West Bengal, India. Field experiment on safflower in a red and lateritic soil revealed a significant increase (p<0.5) in dry matter, seed yield, oil content and protein content as a result of three levels each of sulphur (0, 20...

Among the minor cereals buckwheat is an important crop in feeding the mankind and animals to meet the ever increasing demand of rapidly expanding population of North East India. It is an important crop of the mountain regions at elevations above 1400 m amsl for grain and green leaves. In the higher Himalayas, up to 4500 m, this is the only crop whi...

The present paper identifies the major natural resource constraints of eastern and north-eastern regions of India to promote sustainable agriculture. Technological options available in three areas, namely, utilization of water resources; managing degraded soils, especially the acid soils; and soil health maintenance over the years, have been discus...

Poultry manure, pig, goat, FYM and vermicompost were used to prepare biochar co-compost. At 5.0 t/ha application rate poultry manure biochar cocompost had shown a relatively larger increase in soil pH with initial pH 5.2 to final 6.8 followed by pig manure biochar co-compost (pH 6.6), goat manure biochar co-compost (pH 6.4), FYM biochar co-compost...

Tamarillo or tree tomato (Solanum betaceum) is a small tree, underutilized but potential crop, cultivated for its edible fruit. It is a neglected, fast-growing, small fruit tree produces edible fruits with high content of vitamins, minerals, phenolic and carotenoids compounds as well as low carbohydrates content. In India, tamarillo grows in the hi...

A field experiment was conducted on rice during rabi season of 2015 to study the effect of balanced nutrient management in nutrient availability, yield, uptake, protein and oil content in niger. The experiment was conducted using five levels of potassium viz., 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha-1, four levels of sulphur viz., 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha-1, four...

The present study was undertaken to assess the status of available Zinc in relation to soil physico-chemical properties in nineteen soil samples collected from three different blocks of Birbhum district of West Bengal. In general, textural class ranged from sandy loam to sandy clay loam. Soils were strong to moderately acidic in reaction. Soil orga...

Distribution of different zinc forms and its relationship with physico-chemical properties in three blocks under red and lateritic soils of West Bengal were studied. Sequential extraction scheme was used to fractionate Zn into Water Soluble and Exchangeable (WE), Organic bound (Org), Amorphous sesquioxide (Amor), Crystalline Sesquioxide (Cry), Mang...

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of integrated use of inorganic fertilizers (S and Zn coupled with recommended doses of NPK) in conjunction with organic manure (FYM) on availability of different macro and micro elements including organic carbon in a hilly soil of Meghalaya, India. Two Field trials were conducted consecutively for 2 y...

Preparation of compost enriched with rock phosphate may be considered as a suitable option for utilizing the reserves of low-grade rock phosphate for enhancing the phosphorus use efficiency of crops. This research was carried out to study the effect of combined inoculation of mycorrhiza and selected rhizobacteria on soil nutrients and P uptake by r...

A two-year field experiment was conducted during boro seasons of 2015 and 2016 at Research Farm of Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati University, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications and fifteen treatments in a typical Lateritic soil of West Bengal. The soil properties...

Biochar is zero waste due to the fact that it is more of a goal or ideal rather than a hard target. This zero waste provides guiding principles for continually working towards eliminating greenhouse gasses and reducing carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions that are directly or...

Phosphorus (P) is one of the major pant nutrients and most of the soils throughout the world are P deficient. Thus, P replenishment is necessary to meet the demand by crop plants. After application of P fertilizers, a considerable amount of P is rapidly transformed into less available forms by forming complexes. P solubilizing microbes solubilize t...

Biochar from Weed Biomass: An Unhidden Tool For Soil Acidity And Fertility Management

Biochar enjoys considerable interest due to its potential to alleviate numerous problems of environmental protection. Various types of biomass can be used as feedstock for biochar production. The kind of matter used as feedstock has an effect on biochar properties. Hence the importance is on proper selection of raw biomass, which will subsequently...

We already know acid phosphatase solubilizes Organic P, their presence in vermicomposting materials were also established. But phytase were also found to be present in vermicompost along with acid phosphatase as an organic P solubilizing enzyme. Though relative efficacy of their solubilizing potential varies in a wide range over the vermicomposting...

Tea factory waste (TFW) is a difficult-to-degrade and fibrous waste material generated in tonnes during tea manufacturing. Though TFW contains high amount of nutrients; high phenolic compound content and fibrous nature limit its direct use in agriculture. In this study, TFW was mixed with cattle manure at different proportions for evaluating possib...

A field experiment was conducted in winter season of 2015–2016 in the dry lateritic soil of Eastern India to study the effect of different thicknesses of nonwoven jute agrotextile mulches (NJATM) along with other mulches on soil health, growth and productivity of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.). The experiment was conducted in randomized block desi...

Mulching is the technique of placing a layer of material (plastics, organic and non organic materials) on the soil surface around the desired crop to modify the growing environment to improve crop productivity, suppress weed, conserve soil moisture, temperature regulation, reduce nutrient leaching, reduce soil compaction and improve soil organic ma...