Influence of human urine combined with farm yard manure and chemical fertilizers on french bean and maize cropping sequence in lateritic soils of Karnataka, India

The introduction of ecological sanitation (ECOSAN) toilets in villages near Bangalore hascreated opportunities for safer sanitation and recycling of human excreta, as fertilizers, in ruraland peri-urban areas. Field experiments were conducted at the University farm on French beansand Maize as the test crops in succession for 2 consecutive years in the same field. Differenttreatment combinations tried include human urine, with and without gypsum, Farm yard manure(FYM), chemical fertilizers and control. The fertilizer value of human urine were assessed andsupplied to the crops based on the nutrient content. The results revealed that yield of two cropswere significantly highest in treatment receiving human urine + FYM followed by human urinealone. Generally the results showed that human urine performed well than the commerciallyavailable chemical fertilizers (urea) applied as a source of N for crops and does not pose anysignificant hygienic threats and leave any significant flavor in food products.