Eggshell Fertilizer and Its Impact on Mustard Greens Productivity and Agribusiness Efficiency

Eggshells are a waste material rich in calcium and minerals, with the potential to be used as raw material for organic fertilizers to enhance crop production. However, their utilization in agribusiness, particularly in green mustard production, improving plant growth environments, and as an alternative fertilizer for efficient agricultural production inputs, remains underexplored. This study aims to analyze the effects of eggshell fertilizer on the growth and yield of green mustard, as well as its financial effectiveness in farming systems. The research employs a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three treatments: P1 (16 g/plant of eggshell + 50% inorganic fertilizer), P2 (32 g/plant of eggshell + 50% inorganic fertilizer), and P3 (48 g/plant of eggshell + 50% inorganic fertilizer). Plant responses were tested using ANOVA and DMRT at a 5% significance level, while the R/C Ratio was analyzed to compare farming system profitability between eggshell fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. Eggshell fertilizer showed no significant effect on plant growth and yield parameters of green mustard but was able to increase soil pH from 5.8 to 6.4. Financial analysis showed that the use of eggshell fertilizer had a higher R/C Ratio (1.48) compared to inorganic fertilizer (1.27), demonstrating its feasibility for commercial farming. Eggshell fertilizer has the potential to serve as a sustainable, eco-friendly organic fertilizer, reducing inorganic fertilizer usage by 50% of the recommended dose while enhancing productivity and profitability in green mustard agribusiness.