Soil amendment with fly ash and farmyard manure improves soil health growth and floral traits of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) in partially sodic soils
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https://doi.org/10.58993/ijh/2026.83.2.10Keywords:
Alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase, farm yard manure, fly ash, sodic land, tuberoseIssue
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rakesh Chandra Nainwal; Suchi Srivastava; Sachi Gupta; Shashank Dixit ; Shri Krishna Tewari

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A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of fly ash (FA) amended with farmyard manure (FYM) on the growth, floral attributes, and soil properties of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cultivated in partially sodic soil. Fly ash, an industrial by-product generated from thermal power plants, was integrated with FYM to assess its potential as a soil ameliorant and nutrient source. The combined application of FA and FYM significantly enhanced key floral parameters, including number of spikes per plant, rachis length, number of florets per spike, and flower yield per plant during both years of study. Soil chemical and biological properties were also evaluated to determine the impact of amendments on soil health. The manure-amended FA treatment significantly reduced soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), indicating improvement in sodicity and salt stress conditions. Furthermore, soil enzyme activities—dehydrogenase, β-glycosidase, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase—were markedly increased, reflecting enhanced microbial activity and nutrient cycling. The results demonstrate that FA enriched with FYM can effectively improve plant growth, floral yield, and soil biological activity in sodic soils. This integrated approach not only supports sustainable floricultural production but also promotes environmentally sound utilization of fly ash as a soil conditioner and reclamation agent.Abstract
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