CHANGE OF NUTRIENT CONTENTS OF TEAK SEEDLINGS (TECTONA GRANDIS LINN F.) UNDER DIFFERENT COMPOST TREATMENTS

Abstract

The present study was conducted to identify the changes in nutrient contents in teak seedlings with the application of different types of nutrients along with compost. Compost was applied as compost alone, compost with calcium (Dolomite), with phosphorus (Triple Supper Phosphate, i.e, TSP) and with both calcium and phosphorus (Dolomite and TSP). In order to identify the nutrient changes; nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium concentrations in leaves of teak seedlings under different treatments were analysed before and after 3 months of compost application. According to the results, nitrogen content in leaves of all treatments after 3 months of application were lower than that in leaves before the application of compost. The differences in phosphorus and potassium concentrations in leaves were the highest when compost was applied with TSP. The highest magnesium concentration was also observed under compost treatment with TSP. Among all the treatments, higher calcium differences were observed when compost was applied with both TSP and Dolomite, compost with Dolomite and compost with TSP respectively. The above observations showed that the application of different types of compost affect the nutrient contents of teak plants in different manner. However, application of compost with TSP showed the highest amounts of both potassium and magnesium amounts and a higher calcium amounts in plants.