RECYCLING OF NUTRIENTS IN JAPANESE MINT - ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY AND CROP YIELD

The efficiency of mint-residue, composted alone and amended with start er nutrients, microbial culture and soil suspension (hereafter termed amended compost) was compared with farm yard manure and inorganic fert ilizer on the yield of Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis L.) and improvem ent of soil fertility. Herbage, essential oil yield, nutrient uptake o f Japanese mint and soil available nutrients were significantly enhanc ed due to application of amended compost as compared to nonamended com post, farm yard manure and inorganic fertilizer. Organic fertilized so ils maintained significantly higher available nutrients throughout the crop growth period as compared to inorganic fertilized soils. No addi tional improvement in yields and soil fertility was recorded with comb ined application of compost and inorganic fertilizer in 1:1 ratio as a gainst addition of compost alone. Advantage of such combinations was r ecorded in case of farm yard manure. Results of the study suggested po ssibilities for nutrient recycling through composted mint-residue for supplementing the fertilizers requirement of Japanese mint.