Search

The field experiment was conducted during 2015-16 to study the effect of biofetilizer inoculation [control, Mesorhizobium only, Mesorhizobium + RB-1 (Pseudomonas argentinensis) and Mesorhizobium + RB-2 (Bacillus aryabhattai)] and four levels of phosphorus (0, 15, 20 and 25 kg P2O5 ha-1) on chickpea growth. RB-1 and RB-2 were the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Biofertilizers could play a crucial role in reducing the dependence on chemical fertilizers by fixing the atmospheric nitrogen for crop and/or by increasing the availability of phosphorus and phytohormones to the crop. The 16 treatment combinations were laid out in Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated three times. In biofertilizer treatments, Mesorhizobium + RB-1 proved superior over control and sole inoculation of Mesorhizobium and at par with Mesorhizobium + RB-2 with respect to plant height (cm), number of branches (plant-1), shoot and root dry matter (kg ha-1) which were recorded at 30, 60 90, 120 days after sowing (DAS) and at harvest. Application of 25 kg P2O5 ha-1 gave the highest values of all the growth attributes viz. plant height (60 cm), number of primary (5.3) and secondary (27.2) branches per plant, shoot dry matter (4000 kg ha-1) and root dry matter (354 kg ha-1) which were significantly higher than that of 0 and 15 kg P2O5 ha-1 and at par with 20 kg P2O5 ha-1. Similar results were observed in case of crop growth rate (CGR) whereas relative growth rate (RGR) was not influenced significantly by various biofertilizer and phosphorus treatments. The dual inoculation with PGPR strains along with phosphorus application have a supplementary effect on the growth of chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present experiment was carried out in a seven year old private plum orchard near SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar Campus, Srinagar during 2012 and 2013, to examine the response to nitrogenous fertilizer and boron on growth, fruit set and yield of plum var. Santa Rosa. Urea @ 500 g (N1), CaNO3 @ 1450 g (N2), N1 + 50 g boron (N3) and N2 + 50 g boron (N4) were applied at T1 = Full dose in spring, T2 = Full dose after harvest and T³ = 3/4 dose in spring and 1/4 dose after harvest. Observations were recorded on parameters viz. incremental tree girth, shoot extension growth, plant height, plant spread, leaf area, fruit set, fruit drop, yield, yield efficiency. All the growth parameters were high in treatment combination N1T1. Maximum fruit set (19.68 % and 20.90 %) was recorded in N3T2, yield (20.60 kg/tree and 22.88 kg/tree) was recorded in N4T2, yield efficiency (0.45 and 0.46 kg/cm²) was recorded in N4T2 and minimum fruit drop (4.25 % and 4.55 %) were recorded under the treatment combination N4T2 and N4T3, respectively in the both the years. Both sources of nitrogen and boron can be considered as best fertilizer in plum orchards for improving the growth, fruit set, fruit yield, yield efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of crop production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) was attempted in field using Nutriseed Packs with drip irrigation. Nutriseed Pack is a tubular assembly composed of degradable polymer paper encapsulated fertilizer and manure pellet, designed for placing in the root zone soil of seedling at the time of transplanting. Urea/Diammonium phosphate (DAP) as source of N, single superphosphate (SSP)/DAP as source of P, and muriate of potash (MOP) as source of K were used. The effect of paper wrap and addition of maida flour as a natural gel to fertilizer pellet was tested. The highest values for growth parameters such as plant height, number of main branches per plant and number of lateral branches per main branch were recorded for Nutriseed Pack with 50% NP(SSP)K with Wrap + Gel in all stages. Total fruit yield was highest in Nutriseed Pack with 50%NP(SSP)K with Wrap + Gel (43.1 t ha-1), which was 4.6 t ha-1 (11.9 %) higher than yield obtained in surface broadcast as 100%NP(SSP+DAP)K (38.5 t ha-1).The highest uptake of N(112.4 kg ha-1) and P (13.32 kg ha-1) was recorded for Nutriseed Pack with 50% NP(SSP) K with Wrap + Gel, while the highest K uptake (105.6 kg ha-1) was recorded in surface broadcast at 100%NP (SSP+DAP)K. The promising effect of placement of Nutriseed Pack has been brought out in the present study as an alternative means of crop production in terms of increase in fertilizer use efficiency upto 50% in place of surface application of fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-term fertilizer experiment was initiated in 1971 in sandy loam soil (Eutrochrept) of Barrackpore, West Bengal to study the effects of applying organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on yield of jute-rice-wheat system and soil health. The unfertilized soil supported yields of 0.8 t ha-1 of jute fibre, 1.5 t ha-1 of rice grain and 0.7 t ha-1 of wheat grain (average yield of 42 years). Application of 150% recommended NPK through chemical fertilizers produced maximum yields of jute (2.1 t ha-1), rice (3.8 t ha-1) and wheat (2.8 t ha-1). The yields obtained with 150% NPK fertilizers were 5%, 2.7% and 12% higher than that with 100% NPK fertilizers +FYM. Combined application of 100% NPK fertilizers and FYM, however, increased soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from 5.60 to 8.90 g kg-1, 270 to 316 kg ha-1, 40.7 to 120 kg ha-1 and 139 to 236 kg ha-1 respectively. Maximum DTPA-extractable micronutrients in soil were also observed with 100%NPK fertilizers+FYM. Applying FYM together with NPK fertilizers increased microbial biomass from 221 to 435 mg kg-1 and microbial quotient from 3.95 to 4.89 with concomitant increase in dehydrogenase, phosphatase and fluorescein-diacetate-hydrolyzing activities in the soil. The acid phosphatase activity (139 to 275 μg PNPg-1 h-1) was much lower than alkaline phosphatase activity (479 to 616 μg PNPg-1 h-1). The enzymes assayed showed significant correlation with microbial-C and organic C. Beneficial effects of integrated nutrient management (NPK+FYM) on soil health were reflected on the yields of all the crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, AICRP on Integrated Farming Systems, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during 2014-15 to assess the nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc requirement for maize crop. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design using eight treatments with three replications. The main plot consists of three levels of Nitrogen i.e., 100 kg ha-1(N1), 125 kg ha-1(N2),150 kg ha-1(N3) with two Zinc levels viz.,25 kg ha-1(Z1), 35 kg ha-1(Z2) and sub plot comprised of three levels of 50 kg ha-1(P1), 75 kg ha-1(P2)and 100 kg ha-1(P3). Application of 150 kg N ha-1, 100 kg P ha-1 and 35 kg Zn ha-1 recorded significantly higher growth at 5% level of significance attributes viz., plant height (218.64), no. of functional leaves (11.30), leaf area plant-1 (65.07 cm²), total dry matter plant-1 (269.08) and grain yield (6705.8 kg ha-1), husk yield (1378.2 ha-1), spindle yield (1642.6 ha-1), stover yield (7161.0 ha-1) and biological yield (13866.8 ha-1). The nutrient status after harvest of maize was highest in the treatment combination of N3P3Z2 receiving 150 kg N ha-1, 75 kg P ha-1 and 35 kg ZnSO4 ha-1. But the result were at par with the treatment combination N2P2Z1 which received 125 kg N ha-1, 75 kg P ha-1 and 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1. From the results, it was concluded that the maximum growth, yield, & post harvest nutrient status could be achieved by judicious application of chemical fertilizers (N, P & Zn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]