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 has created opportunities for safer sanitation and recycling of human excreta, as fertilizers, in rural and peri-urban areas. Field experiments were conducted at the University farm on French beans and Maize as the test crops in succession for 2 consecutive years in the same field. Different treatment 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 and supplied to the crops based on the nutrient content. The results revealed that yield of two crops were significantly highest in treatment receiving human urine + FYM followed by human urine alone. Generally the results showed that human urine performed well than the commercially available chemical fertilizers (urea) applied as a source of N for crops and does not pose any significant hygienic threats and leave any significant flavor in food products.