Integrated nutrient management of annual and perennial crops on sandy coastal plains of south-central coastal Vietnam.
Hoang Vinh, Hoang Minh Tam, Bell R. W., Mann S., Do Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Thi Thuong, Ho Huy Cuong, Pham Vu Bao, Keen B., Slavich P.
Author Affiliation: Agricultural Science Institute for Southern Central Coast of Vietnam (ASISOV), Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
: 80-90
Abstract : Integrated nutrient management (INM) is the use of available organic resources (manure, crop residues, biochar etc.) together with inorganic fertilisers to optimise crop nutrition. In low fertility sands, INM needs to consider the balanced supply of all limiting nutrients, not just nitrogen and phosphorus. Three field experiments were conducted on typical sands in the south-central coastal (SCC) region of Vietnam on annual and perennial crops to assess the value of applying available organic resources (manure, biochar) with inorganic fertilisers (including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), sulfur (S) and micronutrients) to optimise crop nutrition. Peanut responded positively to addition of S and micronutrients in addition to NPK. However, application of organic resources (manure, biochar) in combination with inorganic fertilisers further increased peanut yield significantly. Application of biochar increased mango productivity by 16%. By contrast, in cashew, there was limited benefit from increased rate of inorganic fertiliser, with or without biochar, possibly because of micronutrient deficiencies that were not treated with the fertiliser applied. Therefore, balanced rates of nutrients as inorganic fertilisers are required to achieve optimal productivity and nutrient use efficiency on sands. The integrated use of manure or biochar with balanced inorganic fertilisers was most effective in increasing peanut yield and significantly increased profit compared with either organic amendments or inorganic fertiliser alone.