Author(s): N. C. DAS, SOMESH MAHAPATRA AND PHOOL CHAND

Abstract: In order to investigate the loss of soil from up and medium land situations through harvest managements of some vegetables, both field experiments on farmers’ plots and survey works were conducted in winter, summer and rainy seasons of the year 2003 – 04. Field observations on soil loss, number of plants, plant height, root length, root weight, and soil moisture at harvest were recorded. Farmers, retailers and wholesalers from adjacent daily and wholesale markets were interviewed towards having information regarding faulty harvesting managements of vegetables. The respondents available were in the ratio of 1:2:1. It was found from the survey report that red and green Amaranthus species, spinach and radish were commonly grown vegetables subjected to have faulty harvesting practices either “uprooting” only or “uprooting and washing”. Red Amaranthus species was the most frequently grown vegetable of which almost 100% was found harvested with faulty practice by retailers and wholesalers. Average loss of soil on uprooting the plants was found to be correlated with respective means of number of plants, root weight, plant height, root length and soil moisture at harvest in varying level of association varied in different seasons of both the land situations. The highest loss of soil (i.e.115.11gm m-2) by the faulty practice was found in medium land. The biomass yield of Amaranthus species varied within a range of 40.9 - 56.4 tonnes ha-1. Thus the average loss of soil along with fresh organic substances due to faulty harvest management in Amaranthus species was estimated as 1.75 tonnes ha-1 cultivatio-1 year.

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