AGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF DILUTED VINASSE AS A SOURCE OF POTASSIUM FERTILIZERS FOR PEANUT AND CARROT CROPS

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at El- Ismailia Agriculture Research Station Farm located at 30° 35´41.9 N Latitude and 32° 16´ 45.8 E longitude in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) was planted during summer season 2013 and carrot ( Daucus Carota) was planted during winter season (2013-2014) on sandy soil under drip irrigation system in order to agronomic evaluate the use of diluted vinasse, a by-product from sugar industries, as a potassium fertilizer source to reduce the potassium mineral fertilizers and monitoring the movement of phenols through the soil profile layers. Potassium mineral fertilizers were added with four rates , Zero, 50 ,75 and 100 % (K1,K2,K3 and K4) from the recommended dose , combined with five levels from the diluted vinasse 0, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20 % (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5), respectively. Data revealed that the use of diluted vinasse along with applied K- mineral fertilizers rates show significant decrease in pH values by increasing the concentration of both vinasse and K- mineral fertilizers. O.M, availability of N, P and K along with total phenols values, generally were also generally increased by increasing the concentration of vinasse, in presence of different rates of potassium mineral fertilizers especially for the soil surface layers as compared to sub soil layer. Treatment of K (75 %) combined with C (20%) was superior for availability of N, P and K as compared to vinasse only and other treatments for both tested crops . Total uptake of N, P, K (kg fed-1 along with yield components of both tested crops increased gradually by increasing the concentration of vinasse from C1 to C5 and K from K1 up to K3, then the values slightly decreased with K4 as compared to the other treatments. Interaction analysis revealed that N, P, K total uptake and total yield components for peanut (straw, seeds) and carrot (shoots, roots) recorded the highest values due to applying 75 % from the mineral K- fertilizers combined with diluted vinasse (20%) as compared to the control and other treatments; the lowest values of N, P and K uptake were recorded with control treatment (vinasse only). Finally, the application of diluted vinasse to sandy soils has added significant amounts of nutrients especially K as well as organic matter which improved soil chemical properties, nutritional status and crop yield. So, 25% from the potassium mineral fertilizer required for either peanut or carrot can be reduced by the use of diluted vinasse (20%). Moreover the use of diluted vinasse is safty for environment which did not cause any bioaccumulation of phenol compounds in sandy soils and thus the phenolic components, as expected, not contaminating the sub soil layer and ground water.