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Bio-efficacy of cow urine on crop production: A review

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 International Journal of Chemical Studies 2018; 6(3): 298-301

P-ISSN: 2349–8528
E-ISSN: 2321–4902
IJCS 2018; 6(3): 298-301 Bio-efficacy of cow urine on crop production: A
© 2018 IJCS
Received: 25-03-2018 review
Accepted: 26-04-2018

Swati Swayamprabha Pradhan Swati Swayamprabha Pradhan, Sudhanshu Verma, Sneha Kumari and
Department of Agronomy,
Institute of Agricultural
Yashwant Singh
Sciences, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi, Abstract
Utter Pradesh, India During the last two decades, there has been a significant sensitization of the global community to looking
into environmental conservation and safe food. Organic Agriculture (OA) is now becoming the
Sudhanshu Verma mainstream all over the world. Among different organic sources cow urine is a unique product of dairy
Department of Agronomy, which have huge property such as manure, antimicrobial agent, disinfectant. It contains 95% water, 2.5%
Institute of Agricultural
urea, and remaining 2.5% contains mineral salts, hormones and enzymes. In organic farming, cow urine
Sciences, Banaras Hindu
is used for preparation of number of growth promoter and bio-pesticides, which are effective in
University, Varanasi,
Utter Pradesh, India improving soil fertility, and management of large number of pests and diseases in varied group. The
biochemical contents of the plants increased with cow urine application. Therefore the use of cow urine
Sneha Kumari provides better alternative to synthetic chemicals which are expensive and pose potential danger to the
Department of Agronomy, farmers, marketers, consumers, and environment. Application of cow urine has been reported to have a
Institute of Agricultural favorable impact, for enhancing productivity of different crops viz., mustard, maize and rice etc. Further
Sciences, Banaras Hindu research is required to prove its qualities and benefits.
University, Varanasi,
Utter Pradesh, India Keywords: Bio-pesticides, Biofertilizer, cow urine, growth, soil fertility
Yashwant Singh
Department of Agronomy,
Introduction
Institute of Agricultural The exploitative agriculture for centuries in our country has brought down the fertility status of
Sciences, Banaras Hindu the soil to a level that even the application of fertilizers at higher rates is unable to sustain the
University, Varanasi, productivity of soil. Intensive use of chemicals gives an immediate effect on crop production
Utter Pradesh, India for small duration but creates long term ill effects on both ecosystem and soil health leads to
environmental problems and increased production costs.
On one hand chemical fertilizers alone do not provide all the nutrients in balanced quantities
needed by the plants and on the other hand encourage depletion of soil organic matter content,
adversely affect biological and physical properties of soil, also their increasing prices, soil
health deterioration, sustainability and pollution consideration in general have led to renewed
interest in the use of organic manures. The Use of organic manure not only helps to sustain
crop yields but also plays a key role by exhibiting both direct as well as indirect influence on
the nutrient availability in soil by improving the physical, chemical and biological properties
of soil and also improves the use efficiency of applied fertilizers.
Livestock is the oldest resource for mankind. With small holdings and small scale farming,
there is no other better alternative than involving cattle in farming system. The abundant
quantity of cattle excreta consisting of dung and urine is available at farm level. Though part
of cattle dung is used as manure after decomposition but Cow urine usually drains out as waste
material from farmer household. Cattle urine is a good source of nitrogen, phosphate,
potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorite and sulphate. It contains 95% water, 2.5% urea, 2.5%
others (mineral salts, hormones and enzymes). This nutrient source is available to farmers free
of cost in their own house; being organic in nature it is eco friendly and if used in crops has no
adverse effect on ecosystem and human health. Further organic nutrient spray (cow urine) can
be sprayed at critical growth stage of crop to overcome the problem of the slow release
Correspondence nutrients of organic sources affecting crop growth.
Swati Swayamprabha Pradhan
Department of Agronomy,
Application of cow urine besides improving the soil texture and working as a plant hormone
Institute of Agricultural also been reported to correct the micronutrient deficiency, being organic in nature it is also
Sciences, Banaras Hindu likely increase the fertilizer use efficiency.
University, Varanasi,
Utter Pradesh, India

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International Journal of Chemical Studies

The uric acid in the urine acts as fertilizer and hormone. Cow of 1.25% applied to leaves and with 1.01%, applied to soil,
urine has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties; hence corresponding, respectively to increases of 28.1% and 47.3%,
it is most effective secretion of animal origin with in comparison to the control. Number of fruit, highest fruit
multitudinous therapeutic values it also purifies and enhances weight, volume, fruit yield kg/plant and yield tons/ha of
soil fertility. However, cattle urine has a good manurial value mango recorded significantly maximum with 55% cattle urine
and can be utilized as a bio fertilizer. (Ledgard et al., 1982) with six sprays over rest of the treatment. (Damodhar et al.,
[10]
. In organic farming, cow urine is used for preparation of 2010) [2].
number of bio-enhancers and bio-pesticides, which are
effective in improving soil fertility, quick decomposition of Effect on nutrient content and uptake
organic wastes and management of large number of pests and The nutritional effect of cow urine on Trigonella foenum-
diseases in varied group. Organic formulations viz cow urine, graecum (Methi) and Abelmoschus esculentus (Bhindi) plants
neem extract, vermiwash, fish wash could be a potent source showed increased chlorophyll and protein content with
to move forward soil fertility, crop productivity and quality increased concentration of urine as compared to control
and additionally control of pest and diseases. This could (Jandaik et al., 2015) [7]. Urine increased the N concentration
additionally make a possibility elective to fertigation which is of grass and increased the potassium concentration of grass
becoming common in most of the crops (Verma et al., 2017) and clover (Ledgard et al., 1982) [10]. The highest value of N,
[16, 24]
. P and K uptake and its content on mustard recorded with
combine application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizer
Effect on plants growth and yield with 1200 lha-1 cow urine as basal and foliar Spray of 50%
Cow urine could be a potent source to improve soil fertility, urine. (Pradhan et al., 2017) [16].
crop productivity and quality. This can also be a potential
alternative for fertigation which is becoming common in most Effect on soil physical and chemical properties
of the crops (Pathak and Ram., 2013) [13]. Application of 125 Cow urine application has also reported to improve the soil
kg N ha-1 through urine significantly increased vegetative texture and structure. High dose of Liquid Cow Manure
characters and application of 100 kg N ha-1 through urine application resulted in increased pH and EC values, nutrients
significantly increased yield and quality characters, fifty and Dissolved Organic Carbon content of amended soils
percent substitution of urea by urine produced better (Aguilera et al., 2010). Application of FYM 12.5 t ha-1+cattle
morphological, yield and quality character than other urine at 34300 l ha-1 significantly increase soil organic carbon
combinations of urine and urea (Khanal et al., 2010) [8]. A (0.58%), available nitrogen (272.4 kg ha-1), phosphorus (23.5
study was conducted on effect of two foliar sprays of different kg ha-1) and potassium (199.9 kg ha-1) (Veeresha et al., 2014).
concentrations of cow urine (2%, 4%, 6%) at 25 and 40 days Significantly higher total nitrogen, available phosphorus and
after sowing on soybean. Result showed a concentrations of exchangeable Ca and Mg in soil are recorded with different
6% was more effective in enhancing the morpho- sources of urine application compared with the Control.
physiological, chemical biochemical and yield and yield Although, there were not significant differences among the
contributing parameters when compared with control (Deotale treatments in pH, organic carbon, exchangeable K and Na, the
et al., 2011). Application of cow urine on chickpea at the rate values for these parameters are higher than the control ones.
of 10% at flowering initiation and 15 days after flowering (Nwite et al., 2015) [11].
recorded higher plant height (35.78 cm), number of branches
(4.82), leaf area index (1.30), number of pod plant-1(60.86), Effect on soil microbial population
and grain yield (2114 kg ha-1) as compare to control (Patil et Compost tea (cow dung+cow urine+water) contains high
al., 2012) [15]. Enhance flower production in bush jasmine, amounts of microbes which have complementary effect on the
using cow urine in various concentrations at monthly intervals native microbes and also favour decomposition of organic
(Sobhana, 2014).The grain and Stover yield of maize varied matter at a faster rate which, result in better transformation of
significantly under different levels of panchagavya spray and nutrients and their availability to crops (Pathak and Ram,
cow urine levels. Maximum grain yield of 18.6 q ha-1 and 2002) [13]. showed that after regular use of cow urine in the
17.6 q ha-1 were recorded with application of cow urine and crops farmers of vadodara found that soil microorganism
panchagavya respectively (Devakumar et al., 2014) [3]. population increased along with the crop yield. They
Application of nitrogen @ 90 kg ha–1 with 60 kg ha-1 concluded that cow urine worked as growth promoters. there
potassium and phosphorus + cow urine was found to be the was no occurrence of any insect pest and diseases.
best treatment regarding growth, yield and nitrogen content of Incorporation of increasing dose of LCM (liquid cow manure)
paddy (Singh et al., 2014) [19]. Different sources of urine resulted in increased respiration activity, C-CO2 evolution and
applied to the soil as fertilizer improved soil nutrient status soil enzymatic activities of amended soils (Aguilera et al.,
and agronomic yield parameters of maize (Nwite, 2015) [11]. 2010). Significantly higher soil microbial population viz.,
Combination of organic materials (feces + urine + paitan + bacteria (47.0 × 105 cfu/g), fungi (34.6×104 cfu/g) and
mycorrhiza + azolla 2 kg) and (feces + urine + paitan + actinomycetes (40.0×103 cfu/g) were obtained with the
mycorrhiza + azolla 3 kg) recorded significantly tallest plant application of FYM 12.5 t ha-1+cattle urine at 34300 l ha-1 as
with maximum LAI compared to inorganic fertilizer in paddy compared to control (Veeresha et al., 2014).
crop (Andreeilee et al., 2015) [1]. Application of cow urine on
buckwheat recorded higher plant height (116.2 cm), stem Effect on Insects
girth (0.64 cm), leaves plant -1 (13.5), root length (12.6 cm), In Ethiopia, the pest was controlled with water extract of
seed plant -1 (102), and test weight (22.4) (Singh et al., 2015) neem, Nicotiana tabacum L., Capsicum annuum L. or Allium
[20]
. Oliveira et al. (2009) in Zimbawe studied the effect of cepa L. mixed with fermented cow urine (Tesfaye and
cow urine at different concentrations (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, Gautam, 2003) [22]. Caterpillars of armyworm, defoliate
1.00 and 1.25%) on the growth and yield of 'Regina 2000' soybean seedlings and young plants. Older plants though
lettuce. The highest yield was obtained with the concentration survive but show retarded growth. A mixture of cow urine
~ 299 ~
International Journal of Chemical Studies

and water extract of neem leaves protected soybean crop from 5. Gupta G, Yadav SR. Cow urine efficacy against stem
the pest (Purwar and Yadav, 2003) [17]. Gupta (2005) [6] borers and cost benefit in soybean production.
reported that cow urine is safer to insect predators International Journal of Cow Science. 2006; 2(2):15-17.
(particularly coccinellid beetles). These studies when 6. Gupta MP. Efficacy of neem in combination with
extended to other natural enemies would reveal whether urine cowurine against mustard aphid and its effect on
can be recommended for general pest control practices in coccinellidpredators. Natural Product Radiance. 2005;
agricultural crops. Further, since the animal urine can control 4:102-106.
some of the fungal diseases (Raja and Kurucheva, 1997). 7. Jandaik S, Thakur P, Kumar V. Efficacy of cow urine as
Soybean crop is heavily infested by the girdle beetle, plant growth enhancer and antifungal agent. Adv. Agri.,
Obereopsisbrevis Swed. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Grubs 2015, 7. Article ID 620368.
feed initially on the leaf petioles and later inside the stem. 8. Khanal A, Shakya SM, Shah SC, Sharma MD. Utilization
Likewise, the maggots of stem fly, Melanagromyza sojae of urine waste to produce quality cauliflower. The
Zehnter (Diptera: Agromyzidae) feed inside stem obstructing Journal of Agriculture and Environment. 2010; 12:84-90.
the flow of nutrients to aerial parts. The incidence of these 9. Kumari N, Chandla VK. Plant extracts in cow urine
pests was significantly reduced after spraying the crop with (Bovine spp.): A new tool in the management of
cow urine (15-100% conc.) and resulted in a cost: benefit glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporararium
ratio of 1:18.9. These results were comparable with that of (Westwood). Journal of Ecofriendly Agriculture. 2010;
chlorpyriphos 20EC at 2 ml l-1 and Dipel®) at 1 kg ha-1, both 5(2):154-155.
sprayed @ 500 l ha-1 (Gupta and Yadav, 2006) [5]. 10. Ledgard SF, Sheath GW, Gillingham AG. Influence of
Transmission of plant viruses by whitefly is also common. some soil and pasture components on the growth of hill
When a 50-day old potato crop was sprayed with 10% extract country pastures L. Winter and spring production. New
of neem, S. mukorossior J. curcas and cow urine, two weeks Zealand J Experimental Agri., 1982; 10(3):239-244.
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and Chandla, 2010). Cow urine, raw or fermented, has been chemical properties andmaize yield in Abakaliki,
rarely used as a single component of pest control strategy. On Southeastern Nigeria. Int. J Adv. Agricultural Res.
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