FLYASH :
ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF
MICRONUTRIENTS
Thermal power generation through coal combustion produces
minute particles of ash commonly known as ''flyash''.
These ash particles consist of essential plant nutrients
such as silica, oxides of Iron (Fe),Calcium (Ca),Magnesium
(Mg) and Copper (Cu) on the one hand and traces of toxic
metals like lead (Pb),Arsenic (As) and Cobalt (Co) on the
other
Researchers have been attempting to convert this waste into
wealth by exploring practical avenues for flyash.
In the Recent past, flyash has been utilised for raising
agricultural crops as an
alternative source of plant nutrients.
Flyash contains good proportion of
micronutrients.
Crop yields are primarily affected by moisture stress and
nutrient deficient soils in the rainfed region.
The cost of inorganic fertilizer is quite high and poor
farmers are unable to afford it.
Therfore, flyash is an alternative source for supplementing
these nutrients with minimum cost. Further it also helps
in aggregation and stability of the soil.
Field experiments conducted proved the application of 5 to
10 tonnes of flyash per hectare increased yield of rainfed
crops such as sorghum and pigeon pea by about 15-20 percent.
Writers.............J.SOMASUNDARAM
S.N.PRASAD
ASHOK KUMAR
Central Soil and Water Conservation
Research Institute,Kota, Rajasthan.