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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. sp1 (2025): Recent Advances in Agriculture by Young Minds - II

Enriched retted coir pith compost - A potential organic amendment for yield and quality improvement in Amaranthus tricolor

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8073
Submitted
4 March 2025
Published
06-10-2025

Abstract

Raw coir pith, due to its high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio (>100:1) and high lignin, cellulose and polyphenol content, is unsuitable for direct application in crop production because of nutrient immobilization and phytotoxic effects. Composting converts raw coir pith into a stable, nutrient-rich organic amendment. This study evaluated the effect of enriched retted coir pith compost (ERCC), in combination with the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), on the growth, yield and quality of Amaranthus tricolor. A factorial experiment was conducted with two factors: RDF at three levels (100 %, 75 % and 50 %) and ERCC at three rates (18.5, 12.5 and 6.25 t ha-1), along with a control using farm yard manure (FYM) at 25 t ha-1. Application of 18.5 t ha-1 ERCC with 75 % RDF significantly enhanced plant growth and yield, resulting in a 62 % yield increase compared to the control. The lowest oxalate content (8.4 mg 100-1 g dry weight) was observed with 6.25 t ha-1 ERCC combined with 100 % or 50 % RDF, while the lowest nitrate content (1065 mg kg-1 dry weight) was recorded with 12.5 t ha-1 ERCC and 50 % RDF. The control recorded the highest oxalate (20.3 mg 100-1 g dry weight) and nitrate (3435 mg kg-1 dry weight) contents. Notably, the treatment with 18.5 t ha-1 ERCC and 75 % RDF also reduced oxalate and nitrate levels (14.75 mg 100-1 g and 1290 mg kg-1 dry weight, respectively). The study highlighted the benefits of ERCC as a suitable agricultural amendment for improved crop performance, yield and quality of Amaranthus.

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