CHANGES IN GROWTH CHARACTERS AND NUTRIENT ACQUISITION OF GUAVA (Psidium guajava']java L.) IN RESPONSE TO COAL ASH

Coal ash management would remain a great concern all over the world. Several studies proposed that there is an ample scope for safe utilization of coal ash as a soil ameliorant that may improve physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil and is a source of readily available plant micro and macro nutrient. With this concept a pot culture experiment was carried out in the eastern ghat high land zone of Odisha, India under open condition in the nursery. Different levels of coal ash and soil mixture were used in different combinations to check their effect on the physio-morphological and biochemical parameters of guava. The study on the effect of varying levels of coal ash on guava revealed that the combination of 50: 50 and 25: 75 coal ash and soil mixture increased the seed germination, seedling characteristics, biomass, vegetative growth and chlorophyll content of the seedlings. The increase in growth traits was attributed to increase in nutrient acquisition of plants grown under above combinations. On contrary 100% coal ash in the growing medium reduced seed germination, seedling vigour, growth and biomass per plant. The leaf nutrient status of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and the micro nutrients Zn, Mn, B, Mo, Fe and Cu were found to be higher in the treatments having higher proportion of coal ash in the growing medium than other treatments and the lowest was recorded in control (no coal ash). The findings suggest that application of coal ash in certain proportion is beneficial in terms of growth parameters and nutrient acquisition in guava.