Cocolife (Coconut Fertilizer Briquette Embedded in Coirpith Hollow Briquette)
The productivity of coconut is now in declining trend due to imbalanced nutrient management as a result of water scarcity, laborious and costlier method of fertilizer application. Hence for its sustainability, a new technology with low cost of application suitable for water scarce condition is required for better nutrient management.
With the above views, a research was conducted at TNAU Coimbatore during 2002-04, to find out the possibility of combining high water holding capacity and nutrient substitutability of coir pith by developing composted coir pith hollow briquette embedding with inorganic fertilizer mixture of coconut. Besides the slow release potential, its applicability and cost benefit over normal practice of fertilizer application was also exploited.
The research lead to innovation of a new product ‘Coconut fertilizer briquette embedded in coirpith hollow briquette’ named as “Cocolife”. In this method the fertilizer recommended for coconut is made into briquette and then housed in composted coirpith hollow briquette. Here two hollow rectangular rings constitute the centre part and form the housing of fertilizer mixture briquette and two lids close the upper and lower side of the housing. The entire unit was tied with jute twine to make it a coconut fertilizer briquette embedded in coirpith hollow briquette in the shape of a brick and shortly termed as ‘Cocolife’. The laboratory and field studies for release pattern and efficiency and cost effectiveness showed its efficiency over farmer’s method. There was yield increase upto 12% over farmers’ method leading to an additional net income of Rs.35 per tree per annum.
Benefits
-
Cocolife releases nutrient slowly and increases the availability to coconut
-
The adhesive help in adding more calcium and sulphur.
-
It can be placed by simply scooping with spade and placing.
-
As leaching is reduced help in more nutrient efficiency.
-
Suitable for drip irrigation
-
Likely to reduce the pH of the soil.
-
Less application cost.
-
Water and nutrient management are integrated in this method.
-
It gives additional yield and increases profit.
Recommendation
The recommended fertilizer per annum per tree was made in to six pieces of and is recommended for application in two splits (Three pieces once in six month) by placing it one meter away from the trunk at equal spacing.
