Improving Efficiency of Copper ore tailings COT A Source of Micronutrients

Abstract

An incubation study was carried out with 26 treatments involving COT treated with newlinedifferent organics and acids to know the change in pH, EC and release of micronutrients, S newlineand Pb from COT and COT treated mixtures over a period of time. Field experiments on newlinefarmers field during kharif-rabi of 2002-03 at Garag village and 2003-04 at Yettinagudda newlinevillage were conducted with 20 treatments to study the effect of COT treated with different newlineorganics on groundnut-wheat cropping sequence. newlineAmong the organics, the COT treated with VC (0.50 : 2.5) recorded the lowest pH newline(6.50) at 30th day of incubation. While, COT acidulated with acids recorded the lower pH at newlinezero day of incubation. The higher micronutrients and sulphur release was recorded when newlineCOT treated with the ratio of VC 2.5, FYM 10, PM 2 and BGS 5, respectively over COT alone. newlineThe release of lead was higher during initial period and gradually decreased with increase in newlinetime of incubation when COT was treated with acids. newlineThe application of pre-treated COT resulted in significant increase in the growth and newlineyield of groundnut crop and post harvest soil micronutrients and S status. The highest pod newlineyield was recorded with COT 1.0 t + VC 2.5 t ha-1 (3578 kg/ha). The uptake of micro, newlinesecondary and major nutrients, protein content, acid value, saponification value and iodine newlinenumber followed the similar trend. newlineResidual effect on wheat was also significant with respect to yield, protein content, newlineuptake of nutrients and post harvest soil micronutrients and sulphur status. The application of newlineCOT 1.0 t + VC 2.5 t ha-1 recorded the highest grain yield (4503 kg/ha). The lead newlineconcentration in groundnut kernels was below permissible limit (0.5 ppm) and in wheat grains, newlineit was below detectable limit (lt0.001 ppm).