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20173
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Subject: Soil Science × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2017 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFECT OF CROPPING SYSTEMS AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON YIELD AND SOIL PROPERTIES UNDER MID-HILLS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2017-09) Kumawat, Utkarsh; Parmar, D. K.
    Long-term experiments on nutrient management in cropping systems can be more useful for studying the changes in soil properties and processes over time and for obtaining information on sustainability of agricultural systems for developing future strategies to maintain soil health. The current study on “Effect of cropping systems and nutrient management practices on yield and soil properties under mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh” was carried out at the experimental farm of Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Hill Agricultural Research and Extension Centre, Bajaura, Kullu (India). This study is a part of ICAR-Network Project on Organic Farming which was initiated in 2004. The experiment had four cropping systems (tomato-cauliflower-frenchbean; tomato-cauliflower; black gram-cauliflower-squash and okra-garden pea) and three nutrient management practices (organic; inorganic and integrated), which were evaluated in a split plot design. The sowing/transplanting schedule for different crops selected for study was followed as per state package of practices. Triplicate soil samples from three soil depths (0-0.15, 0.15-0.30 and 0.30-0.45 m) collected at the initiation of trial in 2004 and after 11th cropping cycles during 2016, were analyzed for soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties following standard procedures. The yield of crops was recorded and sum up after final picking/harvesting and expressed in q ha-1. The total system productivity was calculated by summing up the yield of each crop. The economic analysis of different experimental treatments was carried out, taking into consideration the prevailing market prices of inputs used. The results indicated that regular addition of organic amendments increased some soil chemical properties like organic carbon and availability of micronutrients besides, soil physical fertility, mainly by decreasing soil bulk density. However, other characteristics such as soil pH and availability of major and micronutrients was the maximum for integrated practice of nutrient management. Cropping systems increased organic carbon and status of major and secondary nutrients, whereas soil pH and concentration of micronutrients was not influenced among variable cropping systems. The results showed that continuous long-term use of organic manures increased soil organic carbon stock, carbon sequestration and its rate in comparison to fertilizer alone or combination of both. The intensive cropping recorded higher value of these parameters as compared to less intensive cropping. The growth of soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes), total microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity increased due to organic amendments for 11 years; however cropping systems had no effect of growth of such organisms. The combined application of organic and fertilizers (50:50) gave maximum yield and profit for black gram-cauliflower-squash crop rotation as compared to other practices and crop rotations. However, benefit cost ratio was the maximum for tomato-cauliflower system.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFECT OF DRIP IRRIGATION AND FERTIGATION LEVELS ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF POTATO IN AN ACID ALFISOL
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2017-07) Mankotia, Shakshi; Sharma, Sanjay K.
    The present study was conducted at experimental farm of CSK HPKV, Palampur, during the year 2015-16 with the objectives of evaluating the effects of micro-irrigation and nutrient management on yield, quality and nutrient uptake by potato and to work out water productivity and economics of drip based irrigation and fertigation. Ten treatments comprising three drip irrigation levels viz., 0.4 PE, 0.6 PE and 0.8 PE corresponding to 40, 60 and 80 per cent of cumulative pan evaporation, respectively, three fertigation levels viz., 50 % RDF, 75 % RDF and 100 % RDF equivalent to 50, 75 and 100 per cent of recommended dose of NPK, respectively and RP i.e recommended practice (recommended dose of fertilizers through conventional methods and 6 flood irrigations of 50 mm each) were evaluated in a randomized block design. Potato (var. Kufri Jyoti) was sown on 21st December 2015. The results revealed that soil moisture, relative leaf water, sugar and starch contents and the quantity of large potatoes were higher at 0.8 PE in comparison to 0.4 PE. Drip irrigation levels did not have significant effect on tuber yield, NPK contents, crude protein content and TSS. Total NPK uptake by potato was influenced by irrigation levels but the differences between the higher irrigation levels of 0.6 PE and 0.8 PE were not significant. Fertigation level of 75 % RDF was statistically at par with 100 % RDF but significantly better than 50 % RDF with respect to yield, nutrients uptake and quality parameters. Fertigation level of 75 % RDF gave significantly higher marketable tuber yield (21.97 t ha-1) and it was 22 per cent higher than that obtained with 50 % RDF (18.01 t ha-1). No improvement in yield was obtained with 100 % RDF over 75 % RDF. Drip irrigation and fertigation was better than the recommended practice as combination of irrigation level of 0.6 PE and 75 % RDF recorded similar yield and better quality parameters, thereby saving 25 per cent of NPK. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) decreased with increase in irrigation levels whereas, fertigation levels increased it. The IWUE was significantly lower under the recommended practice (about 82 per cent lower in comparison to overall mean of the other treatments). The highest tuber yield (237 q ha-1), gross return (Rs. 285200 ha-1), net return (Rs. 153949 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.17) were obtained by applying drip irrigation @ 60 per cent of cumulative pan evaporation (0.6 PE) and 75 per cent recommended dose of NPK (75% RDF). Soil pH and organic carbon were not affected by irrigation as well as fertigation levels. Available N, P and K in soil increased significantly by increasing fertigation levels but irrigation levels did not bring significant change in their contents.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    STUDIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF ZINC FORMS IN SOME CULTIVATED SOILS OF OUTER HIMALAYAS
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2017-07) Anjali; Sharma, V.K.
    Understanding the spatial distribution of various forms of zinc (Zn) in soils helps in predicting its short- and long-term availability for sustainable crop production. In the present investigation, 101 surface soil samples, representing major soils (Entisols & Inceptisols) and land use types of cultivated lands in Outer Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, were collected to study the spatial distribution of Zn forms and their relationship with important soil properties. The soil samples were collected at 0-15 cm depth from cultivated soils under maize-wheat, paddy-wheat, vegetable-based & sugarcane-based cropping sequences and at 0-30 cm depth from orchards of mango, mandarin, guava and litchi and analyzed for important soil properties and Zn forms using standard methods. Sand (%), silt (%), clay (%), textural class, soil pH (1:2.5), electrical conductivity (dS m-1 ), organic carbon (%), cation exchange capacity {cmol(p+) kg-1}, base saturation (%) and calcium carbonate (%) in cultivated soils of Outer Himalayas ranged from 40 to 80, 12 to 45, 6 to 24, loamy sand to sandy clay loam, 6.1 to 7.8 (slightly acid to slightly alkaline), 0.142 to 0.372, 0.305 to 1.525, 4.7 to 13.3, 60 to 77 and 0.05 to 2.20, respectively. Available N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in the soils studied were low to medium, low to medium, medium, medium to high, medium to high, low to medium, sufficient, sufficient, sufficient and deficient to sufficient, respectively. Per cent soil samples deficient in N, P, S and Zn were 26, 47, 59 and 39, respectively. Such a spatial variation may be explained in light of pedo-genesis and prevailing nutrient management practices. Water soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed, organically bound, Mn-oxide bound, Al- and Fe-oxide bound, residual and total Zn in soils under different land use types varied from 0.057 to 0.365, 0.171 to 0.575, 0.33 to 3.07, 3.40 to 17.97, 1.30 to 10.82, 4.76 to 32.75, 14.78 to 79.50 and 30.44 to 130.65 mg kg-1 with mean values of 0.167, 0.366, 1.57, 9.31, 5.40, 17.77, 52.96 and 87.53 mg kg-1 , respectively. On an average, water soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed, organically bound, Mn-oxide bound, Al- and Fe-oxide bound and residual Zn constituted about 0.20, 0.45, 1.77, 10.61, 6.02, 19.94 and 61.01 per cent of total Zn, respectively. There were significant and positive correlations between different chemical pools of Zn, indicating the existence of dynamic equilibrium among them. Clay, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity were significantly and positively correlated with each form of Zn; while sand, pH and calcium carbonate were negatively correlated. Silt was significantly and positively correlated while electrical conductivity and base saturation were negatively correlated with most of Zn forms. Such interrelationships indicated that basic soil attributes studied are important factors affecting the distribution of Zn forms in the study area. Among all, per cent clay, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity exhibited better correlations with each form of Zn. Further, soils with lower values of clay, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity contained less amount of soil Zn in each pool as compared to soils higher in those soil arributes. Therefore, former soils require relatively more attention on Zn fertilization as compared to latter ones for sustaining soil productivity.