LIVE MULCHING WITH ANNUAL LEGUMES AND NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY IN MAIZE AND IT’S RESIDUAL EFFECT ON SUCCEEDING GROUNDNUT
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Date
2021-11-22
Authors
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Publisher
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur
Abstract
An investigation on “Live mulching with annual legumes and
nitrogen management on resource use efficiency in maize and it’s
residual effect on succeeding groundnut” was carried out during two
consecutive kharif and rabi seasons of 2015 and 2016 on sandy loam soils of
Dry land farm of S.V.Agricultural College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The
experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications. During
kharif, maize was raised by taking four live mulching practices viz., no
mulching (M1), live mulching with sesbania (M2), live mulching with
sunhemp (M3) and live mulching with cowpea (M4) as main plot treatments
and four nitrogen management practices viz., no nitrogen (N1), application of
75 % RDN + 25 % N through FYM (N2), application of 75 % RDN + 25 % N
through poultry manure (N3) and application of 100 % RDN (N4) as sub plot
treatments. During rabi, groundnut was raised without applying any nutrients
in the undisturbed layout of the kharif season to find out the residual effect of
the treatments imposed in kharif maize.
On pooled basis, among the live mulched annual legumes in maize,
sunnhemp and cowpea recorded significantly higher dry matter production,
higher phosphorus content and phosphorus accumulation, potassium content
and potassium accumulation than sesbania. Similarly, sesbania recorded
significantly higher nitrogen content and nitrogen accumulation in the
biomass followed by sunhemp.
During the first year, no mulching i.e. sole maize (M1) recorded
significantly taller plants, higher LAI, higher dry matter accumulation and
leaf chlorophyll content at all the growth stages. It also recorded early
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tasseling, silking and maturity along with higher values of yield attributes
viz., cob girth, number of rows cob-1, number of grains cob-1, grain weight
cob-1, test weight (1000 grain weight), grain and stover yield. Higher total
nitrogen uptake at all the growth stages, higher total phosphorus and
potassium uptake at harvest and higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), higher
protein content and protein yield were also recorded with M1.
During the second year, live mulching with sunhemp (M3) recorded
significantly taller plants, higher LAI, higher dry matter accumulation and
leaf chlorophyll content at all the growth stages. It also recorded early
tasseling, silking and maturity along with higher values of yield attributes
viz., cob girth, number of rows cob-1, number of grains cob-1, grain weight
cob-1, test weight (1000 grain weight), grain and stover yield. Higher total
nitrogen uptake at all the growth stages, higher total phosphorus and
potassium uptake at harvest and higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), higher
protein content and protein yield were also recorded with M3.
Significant variation in the weed flora due to different treatments was
not noticed during both the years of experimentation. Predominant weed
species observed in the experimental field were Cyperus rotundus, Cleome
viscosa, Trichodesma indicum, Celosia argentea and Boerhavia diffusa.
However, during both the years of study as well as in pooled mean at 25,
50 and 75 DAS, live mulching with sunhemp (M3) recorded significantly
lower weed density and weed dry weight. It also recorded higher soil
moisture content, improved soil physico-chemical properties, higher soil
available phosphorus and potassium, and higher microbial load being on
parity with the live mulching with cowpea (M4).
With regard to nitrogen management practices, application of 75 per
cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through poultry manure (PM)
(N3) recorded significantly taller plants, higher LAI, higher leaf chlorophyll
content and maximum dry matter production at all the growth stages during
both the years of study. It also recorded higher values of yield attributes viz.,
number of cobs plant-1, cob length, cob girth, number of rows cob-1, number
of grains cob-1, grain weight cob-1, test weight (1000 grain weight), grain and
stover yield, higher protein content and protein yield. It was further noticed
that substitution of 25 per cent of N through poultry manure (PM) recorded
lower weed density and weed dry weight, higher nitrogen uptake at all the
growth stages, higher phosphorus and potassium uptake at harvest and higher
NUE, higher soil organic carbon content and soil microbial load (soil
bacteria, actinomycetes and soil fungi). But application of 75 per cent of
RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (N2) recorded
significantly higher soil moisture content at all the growth stages, soil
available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium after maize harvest being on
par with the application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of
N through PM (N3).
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Significant interaction between live mulching and nitrogen management
practices was observed on plant height, LAI, leaf chlorophyll content, grain
yield, NUE, protein yield, weed density and weed dry weight and soil
actinomycetes population. Among the different treatment combinations, sole
maize with no live mulching and application of 75 per cent of RDN through
urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM or PM (M1N2 or M1N3) recorded higher
plant height, LAI, leaf chlorophyll content, grain yield, NUE and protein
yield. Similarly, live mulching with sunhemp or cowpea or sesbania with the
substitution of 25 per cent of N through FYM or PM significantly reduced
weed density and weed dry weight, and it also increased soil organic carbon
content and soil microbial load.
During 2015 as well as in pooled mean, no mulching (M1) recorded
significantly higher gross returns and net returns while, during 2016 live
mulching with sunhemp (M3) being comparable to the treatment with no
mulching i.e. sole maize (M1) recorded higher gross returns and net returns.
Among the nitrogen management practices, application of 75 per cent of
RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through PM (N3) recorded significantly
higher gross returns and net returns during both the years.
With regard to B:C ratio, sole maize with no mulching (M1) recorded
significantly higher B:C ratio during both the years. Among the nitrogen
management practices, application 100 per cent RDN through urea (N4)
recorded significantly higher B:C ratio.
Among the different treatment combinations, no mulching along with
application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through
PM (M1N3) and treatment with no live mulching + application of 100 per cent
of RDN through urea (M1N4) being statistically similar recorded significantly
higher gross returns and the reverse was true in terms of net returns.
Residual effect of live mulching and nitrogen management practices
applied in preceding kharif maize were found significant on succeeding rabi
groundnut.
Live mulching with sesbania (M2) in preceding kharif maize recorded
significantly higher growth attributes in succeeding groundnut viz., plant
height, leaf area index, dry matter production and higher leaf chlorophyll
content (SPAD values) at periodical intervals during both the years. It also
recorded higher values of yield attributes viz., number of gynophores plant-1,
total number of pods plant-1 and number of filled pods plant-1, shelling per
cent, pod yield, haulm yield and higher oil yield.
Live mulching with sesbania (M2) being on par with live mulching with
cowpea (M4) recorded the highest total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
uptake in groundnut and higher soil available nitrogen after harvest during
both the years. Further, live mulching with sunhemp (M3) which was
however, comparable with live mulching of cowpea significantly improved
soil moisture content, soil organic carbon content, soil available phosphorus
and potassium after harvest and soil microbial population.
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Among the nitrogen management practices, application of 75 per cent of
RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (N2) recorded
significantly taller plants, more leaf area index and higher dry matter
production, higher leaf chlorophyll content at periodical intervals in
succeeding groundnut during both the years. It also recorded significantly
higher number of gynophores plant-1, total number of pods plant-1 and number
of filled pods plant-1, shelling per cent, pod yield, haulm yield and higher oil
yield during both the years.
Further, application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of
N through FYM (N2) in preceding maize also recorded higher total nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium uptake in groundnut and higher soil available
nitrogen after harvest during both the years.
Application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N
through FYM (N2) being on par with application of 75 per cent of RDN
through urea + 25 per cent of N through PM (N3) significantly improved soil
moisture content, organic carbon content, soil available phosphorus and
potassium after harvest and soil microbial load before sowing, at 60 DAS and
at harvest.
Significant interaction between live mulching options and nitrogen
management practices was observed on potassium uptake, soil moisture
content, soil organic carbon content and soil microbial load.
Among the treatment combinations, live mulching of sesbania along
with application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N
through FYM (M2N2) recorded significantly higher potassium uptake, live
mulching of sunhemp along with application of 75 per cent of RDN through
urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (M3N2) recorded significantly higher
soil moisture content at 25 DAS in pooled mean at 30-45 cm depth and higher
organic carbon during 2015 as well as in pooled mean. However, live
mulching with sunhemp or cowpea along with the combined application of 75
per cent RDN through urea + 25 per cent RDN through PM or FYM recorded
significantly higher soil actinomycetes population before sowing of
groundnut and higher soil fungi at the time of groundnut harvest, respectively.
Live mulching with sesbania (M2) in preceding maize being comparable
with cowpea (M4) recorded significantly higher gross returns, net returns and
B:C ratio in groundnut. With regard to nitrogen management practices,
application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea along with substitution of 25
per cent of N through FYM (N2) or PM (N3) in preceding maize recorded
significantly higher gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio in groundnut.
After completion of maize - groundnut cropping sequence during 2015-
16, live mulching with sesbania along with the application of 75 per cent of
RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (M2N2) recorded higher
nitrogen gain and live mulching with sunhemp along with the application of
75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through PM (M3N3)
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recorded higher phosphorus gain in the soil, respectively while negative gain
in potassium was observed in all the treatments during the first year.
After completion of maize - groundnut cropping sequence during 2016-
17, live mulching with cowpea along with the application of 75 per cent of
RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (M4N2) recorded higher
nitrogen gain and live mulching of sunhemp along with the application of 75
per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N through FYM (M3N2)
recorded higher phosphorus and potassium gain in the soil.
In maize - groundnut cropping sequence during 2015-16, higher net
returns were recorded with the combination of sole maize with no mulching
and application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of N
through PM (M1N3) and no live mulching + application of 100 per cent of
RDN through urea (M1N4) recorded higher B : C ratio.
In maize - groundnut cropping sequence during 2016-17, live mulching
with sunhemp and application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per
cent of N through FYM (M3N2) recorded higher net returns and B : C ratio
followed by M2N2.
Finally it can be concluded that, live mulching with sunhemp or
sesbania along with the substitution of 25 per cent RDN through FYM was
efficient practice for long term benefit of better crop growth, quality,
sustainable yield and economics in maize - groundnut cropping sequence.
However, live mulching with sunhemp or cowpea along with the
substitution of 25 per cent RDN through poultry manure was also identified
as efficient in improving the soil moisture content, soil biological properties,
weed suppression, phosphorus and potassium availability.
Description
LIVE MULCHING WITH ANNUAL
LEGUMES AND NITROGEN
MANAGEMENT ON RESOURCE USE
EFFICIENCY IN MAIZE AND IT’S
RESIDUAL EFFECT ON
SUCCEEDING GROUNDNUT