Soil and Plant Nutrient Status as Influenced by Organic Farming in Long Pepper (Piper longum L.)

Long pepper (Piper longum L.) spikes and roots forms one of the important constituents in the treatment of various human ailments under ayurveda, siddha and unani medicine systems of India. An experiment was conducted in this crop to study the effect of various combinations of organic manures and bio-fertilizers on crop growth, nutrition and soil fertility status including microbial population after harvesting of the crop. Varied levels of farm yard manure (FYM - 30 and 40 t ha-1), vermicompost (VC - 1 and 2 t ha-1), neem cake (NC - 1 and 2 t ha-1) and bio-fertilizers (Azospirilum, phosphate solubilizing bacteria and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae each at 10 kg ha-1) were tried in sixteen different combinations. After three years of experimentation the impact of organic farming on soil and plant nutrient status has been analyzed. The results revealed that the application of organic manures has a significant impact on plant and soil nutrient status after three years of cropping. The highest tissue nutrient content and nutrient uptake were recorded in the treatment FYM 40 t + VC 2.0 t + NC 2.0 t + BF 10 kg ha-1 where the organic manures and bio-fertilizers were applied at highest level. The same treatment has also increased the organic carbon, available NPK and microbial population in the soil after three years of cropping. All these parameters were lowest in treatment FYM 30 t + VC 1.0 t + NC 1.0 t ha-1 where manures were applied in lowest quantity without bio-fertilizers. Hence, we conclude that the long pepper is an organic matter loving crop and application of higher levels of organic manures improved both plant and soil nutrient status.