Dynamics of soil fertility as influenced by intercropping systems, mycorrhizal inoculation and fertilizer levels in maize-sunflower cropping system
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Date
2020
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Abstract
Field experiments were conducted for two consecutive years (2010-11 and 2011-12) at Eastern Block Farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore on sandy clay loam soils consisting sunflower was raised as residual crop during summer in a sequence of maize sown in winter. The experiments were laid out in split-split plot design with three factors. In respect of succeeding crop sunflower, all the treatment plots were further divided into two equal parts by adopting the following treatment schedule. Three intercropping systems viz., sole maize - sunflower (I1), maize+cowpea - sunflower (I2) and maize+ greengram - sunflower (I3) were the treatments under main plot. Four mycorrhizal treatments viz., M1 - uninoculated (Both crops), M2 - uninoculated (Sunflower), M3 - inoculated (Sunflower), M4 - inoculated (Both crops) were included under sub plot. Three fertilizer levels viz., 75% RDF (F1), 100% RDF (F2), and 125% RDF (F3) under sub-sub plot. Regarding the dynamics of various soil fertility parameters viz., N, P and K uptake of sunflower were found higher to a considerable extent under preceding maize + cowpea intercropping followed by maize + greengram intercropping at both the stages. With respect to mycorrhizal inoculation, nutrient uptake was higher under mycorrhiza inoculated treatments for both the crops over uninoculated treatments. Among the fertilizer levels, 125% RDF to preceding maize recorded higher N, P and K uptake followed by 100% RDF at both the stages of observation. With regard to soil available nutrients, among the intercropping systems, preceding sole maize registered higher soil available N, P and K followed by maize + cowpea intercropping. Among the mycorrhizal treatments, mycorrhiza uninoculated to both the crops and among the fertilizer levels, 125% RDF recorded higher soil available nutrients. As regards the balance sheet of soil available N, P and K,lower actual N loss was (-32.7 kg ha-1), P loss was (-1.2 kg ha-1) and K loss was (-22.1 kg ha-1) under the treatment combination maize + cowpea intercropping along with mycorrhizal inoculation to both the crops and 125% RDF (I2F3M+) during 2011. Regarding 2012, the maximum actual N gain was (5.0 kg ha-1), P gain was (0.1 kg ha-1) and K gain was (12.3 kg ha-1) under the treatment combination maize + cowpea intercropping along with mycorrhizal inoculation to both the crops with 125% RDF (I2F1M+). The maximum actual loss was recorded under the treatment combination of sole maize without mycorrhizal inoculation to both the crops with 75% RDF.
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TNV_IJCS_2020_8(5)1914-1921
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Veterinary Science