Functions, Deficiencies and Solutions of Potassium (K)

Potassium (K) available to plants as the ion K+

Functions of K

1. Unlike N and P, K does not form any vital organic compounds in the plant. However, the presence of K is vital for plant growth because K is known to be an enzyme activator that promotes metabolism.
2. K assists in regulating the plant’s use of water by controlling the opening and closing of leaf stomates, where water is released to cool the plant.
3. In photosynthesis, K has the role of maintaining the balance of electrical charges at the site of ATP production.
4. K promotes the translocation of photosythates (sugars) for plant growth or storage in fruits or roots. • Through its role assisting ATP production, K is involved in protein synthesis.
5. K has been shown to improve disease resistance in plants, improve the size of grains and seeds, and improve the quality of fruits and vegetables.

Deficiencies of K

1. The most common symptom is chlorosis along the edges of leaves (leaf margin scorching). This occurs first in older leaves, because K is very mobile in the plant.
2. Because K is needed in photosynthesis and the synthesis of proteins, plants lacking K will have slow and stunted growth.
3. In some crops, stems are weak and lodging is common if K is deficient.
4. The size of seeds and fruits and the quantity of their production is reduced

Solutions for K

1. Apply required quantity of Manjastra (see my blog again for preparation of mangastra)
2. Apply vermi-compost or any other fish meal and neem cake
3. Enrich compost with Bassilus silicate bio-fertiliser 

Functions, Deficiencies and Solutions for Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen (N) available to plants as nitrate (NO3 –), and ammonium (NH4 +) ions.

Functions of Nitrogen

1. N is biologically combined with C, H, O, and S to create amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
2. Amino acids are used in forming protoplasm, the site for cell division and thus for plant growth and development.
3. Since all plant enzymes are made of proteins, N is needed for all of the enzymatic reactions in a plant.
4. Nitrogen is a major part of the chlorophyll molecule and is therefore necessary for photosynthesis.
5. Nitrogen is a necessary component of several vitamins.
6. Nitrogen improves the quality and quantity of dry matter in leafy vegetables and protein in grain crops. 

Deficiencies of Nitrogen

1. Stunted growth may occur because of reduction in cell division.
2. Pale green to light yellow color (chlorosis) appearing first on older leaves, usually starting at the tips.
3. Depending on the severity of deficiency, the chlorosis could result in the death and/or dropping of the older leaves. This is caused by the translocation of N from the older to the younger tissues.
4. Reduced Nitrogen lowers the protein content of seeds and vegetative parts. In severe cases, flowering is greatly reduced.
5. Nitrogen deficiency causes early maturity in some crops, which results in a significant reduction in yield and quality

Solutions of Nitrogen

1. Once observed deficiency symptoms of Nitrogen in the field, spray Sand Urea (5 gram in one lit of water)
2. Enrich compost with free living nitrogen fixing microbes such as Azotobactor and Azospirillum.
3. Enrich Rhizobium bio-fertiliser for legume crops to fix atmospheric nitrogen
4. Apply such enriched compost every year or once in two year
5. Legume mulching also supports the Nitrogen enrichment
6. Crop Rotation with Legume crops 

Mitigate coffee stem borer with climate resilient systems

Coffee is one among the important commercial crops in Chikmagalur, Kodagu, Chamarajanar and Hassan districts of Karnataka. Many coffee growers had been using hazardous agro-chemicals to control white stem borer, berry borer and leaf rust. White stem borer (WSB) is a big menace in Arabica coffee, especially with Kaveri, S 795, S 6 and S 9 variety. Arabica coffee mainly grows in high elevated regions, and it needs 50 to 60% of tree canopy shade. Arabica know its qualities like acidity, aroma and sweetener.

Bhuvaneswara Bhat, a 55 year old, small coffee grower from Mudigere taluk explained his innovation to mitigate WSB on Arabica coffee. Bhat had been doing grafting Arabica coffee on Robusta root stock and also managing tree canopy with traditional poly-culture systems.

Arabista grafting:

Mr. Bhat developed an Arabista coffee with Arabica scion on Robusta root stock with grafting technique (Arabica scion plant + Robusta root stock =Arabista Coffee). Generally, Robusta coffee has resistance against white stem borer but need less tree canopy. But in Arabica coffee need more trees canopy and prone to WSB attack. In the year 2000, Bhat lost entire Robusta coffee yield due adverse climatic and WSB problems. He doesn’t have alternatives to feed his family, not willing to replace Robusta coffee, and then decided to go for grafting method. In 2001, he tried Arabista grafting method with seven coffee plants, and got succeed in his innovation, and then slowly increased the area of Arabista coffee with grafting techniques.

The April-May is the best season for making Arabista coffee grafting in the main farm. Selection of favourite scion of Arabica coffee variety and then identified Robusta root stock for grafting on the same day. Cut the scion material on day of grafting only, not necessary to cut the scion materials before the grafting like in mango.  He is doing soft wood grafting for making Arabista coffee. In the year 2000, he had 4000 Robusta plants and very few Arabica, but now only 1000 Robusta and remaining 3000+ are Arabista coffee plants. In the year 2017, he harvested 25 bags of parchment coffee from Arabista coffee.   

Traditional tree shade management:

The important agronomy practices to mitigate white stem borer in Arabista coffee production is keeping 50 to 60% multipurpose tree canopy. Bhat, keeping 2-tier good shade with local trees rather than going for silver oak trees, there are very few silver oak trees in his farm but more emphasis on traditional tree species such as Ficus glomerata (Atti), Microcarpa fraxinifolius (Havalige), Jack fruit, Erythrina Indica, Rose wood, Legostromia lanceota (Nandhi), Fish tail palm (Bagani), Terminalia tomentosa (Matti), Terminalia bellarica (Taare), Sapandus emirgintus (Soap nut) and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius (Balanji)

In the lower canopy he maintains Erythrina spp and rest trees managing at upper canopy. Atti, Basuriand Havalige are the best shade tree species for coffee production. These two trees sheds the leaves in the month of June-August and new leaves during summer season, this will regulate the coffee leaf rust in rain season and best shade canopy at summer season, and also attracts lots of birds during fruiting and flowering season.

Moreover, Bhat explained the co-existence of avian and other bio-diversities, this indirectly supports the coffee production sustainably and also mitigate white stem borer economically. The regular pruning of trees is very much needed and does it accordingly with climatic situations especially moisture and temperature.      

EDE consulting service is a non-profit company working with small and marginal coffee farmers across globe to promote sustainable production technologies and also enabling coffee farmers to work on collective marketing. The EDE consulting service collected Arabista coffee for cup testing, reports says there is no qualities of Robusta coffee like harsh, bitter, astringent; it has only Arabica coffee qualities like acidity, aroma and sweetener.

Research institutions and other concern departments should do further validation and field level research on Arabista coffee on quality and others parameters, but MAS Company is now propagating this unique innovation to mitigate climate change challenge for its shareholders.

Box item: 1

The MAS Sustainable Coffee Producer Company Limited (in short, MAS Company) discussing with members on understanding implications of climate change on coffee production; they pointed out with following reasons for Chikmagalur and Hasan districts.      

1.     Sudden reduction in coffee yield due to loss of soil moisture, over atmospheric temperature, un-seasonal rains and heavy wind

2.     Increases in incidence of pest and disease, especially WSB

3.     Increases in Irrigation, Fertiliser and Pesticide cost, especially on blossom and back rain irrigation cost through sprinklers

4.     Gradual fall in quality of coffee bean due to development of pre-mature endo-carp and lack of nutrient uptake by plants.  

Why Malabar Neem or Melia or Hebbevu

WHY MELIA ?

• It has been identified as a fast growing indigenous species.
• This species being a local timber is better suited for industrial use than other exotic / foreign species being presently propagated
• Growing this species can increase the forest cover rapidly which at present is a national priority.
• Large scale availability of plantation timber will save our natural forest and bio diversity which need to be protected.
• This will improve rural Economy and The seeds of this tree can be used for the extraction of a bio pesticide
• The use of this timber as and when available produces a very good quality plywood comparable to international standards

GROWTH HABIT

It is a fairly large, handsome, deciduous tree, attaining a girth of 1.2-1.5m and a height of about 15m, with a spreading crown and a cylindrical, straight bole of about 9m

SITE FACTORS

 

In its natural habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies from 37.5–47.5 C and the absolute minimum from 0–15 C. It does well in moist regions, with a mean annual rainfall exceeding 1000 mm. The mean relative humidity in July varies from 70–90% and in January from 50–80 %.

TOPOGRAPHY

 

It is commonly found in the hills at elevations ranging from 600 – 1800 m.  Red loamy soil very much suited, treat the black soil with red soil and FYM before planting 

 

CULTIVATION

 

The rooted saplings are planted onset of the monsoon or during the monsoon.  The suggested pit size is 2’ x 2’- 0.60m Cube.

Spacing of 3.5 m x 3.5 m is recommended. This will give better girth in shorter duration.

Seed Treatment

Seeds are collected from ripened fruits (Jan – Feb) by rubbing, washing and drying and are stored in sealed tins. The germinability of the seed is less than 25%. In nursery, the seeds are sown in raised nursery beds. The best seed treatment is treating the seeds with slurry for one day. Then the treated seeds are sown over the raised nursery bed. It takes one or two months for the seeds to germinate. Irrigation should be done regularly. The seedling takes 6 months to complete its nursery stage.

Expenditure Details (Rs/Ha) (Year-2014)

2nd Year   Rs. 61,500.00

3rd Year  Rs. 61,500.00 

4th Year  Rs. 64,500.00 

5th Year  Rs. 66,500.00 

6th Year  Rs. 66,500.00 

7th Year  Rs. 68,500.00 

8th Year  Rs. 68,500.00 

9th Year  Rs. 64,500.00

10th Year  Rs. 64,500.00 

11th Year  Rs. 66,500.00

Total:  6,53,000 + 1,14,000 = 7,67,000.00

Income Details (Rs/Ha) (Year-2014)

In a Hectare, we can plant 756 trees

at a spacing of 12 x 12 ft

Rs. 7,000 per tree this would amount to a total return of Rs.45,50,000 per Hectare gross income in 10-12 years (deduct 14%  on trees and value per tree)

To a farmer this amounts to a remuneration of approximately Rs.37,900 per month gross income

Additional income can be generated from inter-cropping

Melia dubia protection measures

Red spider mite: Presence of chlorotic spots which coleasce into pale patches indicated the presence of infestation. These critters can damage plants by sucking on the tissues, mainly in the leaves. The mites often cluster on the undersides of the leaves.

Bormia variegate or Baculovirus caterpillar: The larvae consumes the entire green tissues of leaf, leaving only the mid vein and some basal portion of leaf. It is more in May-July and Oct-Dec season.

They occurs in two colour forms, green with dark lines or pale yellowish brown and has a full size of 2.0 to 2.5 inches. The larvae consumes the leaf completely leaving the mid vein and some basal portion of leaf. The larval attack on the plant was in peak during June to October. During 2011. Screening of viral infected larvae was used for isolating baculovirus at Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat


Use Manjastra or Guruastra solution to prevent infestation. See my blog for preparation of Manjastra and Guruastra.

Preparation of GURUASTRA

Preparation: GURUASTRA is an effective and less-cost organic liquid fertiliser. The making of FAA is a easiest and eco-friendly process. It needs Fish and Solid Jaggery. Do not use liquid type of Jaggery for this, use only Solid. GURUASTRA has been developed by an organic expert Shri Manjunath Honnappanavar (Holalu) with multiple benefit of flower inducer, micro-nutrients and traces

Take recommended quantity of Fish, Tomato, Tender Coconut water and Jaggery, for example for 1 KG Fish, 1 KG of Tomato, 1 Lit of Tender Coconut water and 3 KG Jaggery, use small type fish.

Slice solid Jaggery, cut the fish into small pieces, crush the Tomato with tender coconut water. Take an air tight plastic Jar/Bottle and the put the mixture in it. Mix This well and store in a cool dry place. Keep it away from direct sun light. You need to keep this for 30 days. Then filter the waste and remove it, Take the liquid portion and save It. You need to keep this upto 6 Months

Application: Apply this to soil or to the leaves of the plant. Do not directly apply this, You need to dilute this, 2-5 ml of the fish amino acid can use with 1 litre water. Application of Guruastra on plant/leaves has many benefits then the drenching.

How it works: Guruastra is suited as a foliar application for boosting crops from early to late stages of maturity. Trace elements, minerals and complex organic compounds are absorbed into the plant’s leaf surface and are rapidly translocated to the roots. Foliar absorption is immediate. Increased brix (sugar/mineral) levels can be measured within 20 minutes. Residues left on the leaf surface help suppress insect and fungal attack by encouraging fungal bacteria and reducing insects leaf palatability - most pest insects dislike plants with higher brix levels.

Preparation of Chemical free Plant growth Hormone at low cost by using local resources (MANJASTRA)

Normally, many farmers used chemical based plant growth hormone in production of food, in fact many agricultural scientist recommend chemical base plant growth hormone in cultivation practices. Using chemical base hormone has many implication on health, ecology and also high cost for farmers.

After knowing the problems we recommend following recipe to make plant growth hormone by using local resources (MANJATRA)

MANJASTRA has been developed by an organic expert Shri. MANJUNATH HONNAPPANAVAR (HOLALU) with combination of micro-nutrients, repellents, amino-acids and traces

Egg        - 12
Jaggery - 3 Kg or Honey - 2 Kg
Banana  - 12
Red Onion    - 1 Kg
Water    - 5 litres

Slice and crush the above materials, add all the materials in to non-metal container for minimum of three days. Keep rotate minimum of two times in a day to remove the excess gas.

Sieve the material with doubled folded cloth, make sure that all solid matters should not go into solution. Mix the mother solution with 200 litres of water and spray on any crops  

For better result of MANJASTRA: 1st spray on blossom, 2nd spray on seed formation and 3rd spray on 30 to 60 before harvest.

Economics: Rs. 150/- per barrel, 4-8 barrel is sufficient for one acre of crop, 3 times spray, so totally 12-24 barrel per acre of crop, total expenditure is Rs.1800 -3600/-

Yield increment: 15-22% increment in overall

Five million return in an one of land

In an one acre of land with proper irrigation facility will get half a crore rupees in span of two half year. Initial invest of Rs. 4 million and first return starts in two half years, there after every will get returns.

Feature of project

Control systems with poly house or shade net
Selected pepper variety
Vertical pole system
Minimum pesticide use (as per organic certification)
Additional income of Rs. 1.5 million with tree crops after ten year

Contact:9480330652 or 9110449755

manjubaduku@gmail.com