RELATIVE RESPONSE OF FINGER MILLET - SOYBEAN ROTATION TO APPLICATION OF ZINC, BORON AND MICROBIAL INOCULANTS
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Date
2009-09-05
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University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bangalore
Abstract
A field investigation on “Relative response of finger millet-soybean rotation to application of
zinc, boron and microbial inoculants” was carried out at Dry Land Agricultural Project, GKVK,
UAS, Bangalore during Kharif 2005 and 2006 as finger millet– soybean and vice versa rotation. The
experimental site was sandy clay loam in texture, slightly acidic in pH with medium fertility. The
experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The first
experiment consists of nine treatments, with a combination of macro and micronutrients( with or
without FYM), whereas in the second experiment there were ten treatments which comprised of
application of different microbial inoculants (Azospirillum brasilense @ 1 kg/ha in 10 liter of water
as seedling dipping method for finger millet, Bradyrhizobium japonicum @ 375 g/ha for soybean as
seed treatment and VAM @ 10 kg/ha as soil application for both the crops) and micronutrients (Zn
and B) were used along with recommended fertilizer and FYM either individually or in
combinations.
The pooled analysis of the results revealed that application of NPK + FYM + ZnSO4 + Borax
recorded significantly higher growth, yield parameters of both the crops, grain (3613 kg/ha) and
straw yield (5566 kg/ha) of finger millet, seed (1936 kg/ha) and haulm yield of soybean (3152 kg/ha)
as compared to control. Seed quality parameters viz., germination percentage seed vigour index and
uptake of nutrients (N, P, K, Zn and B) in both the crops, protein and oil yield in soybean were also
higher when conjunctive use of micronutrients (Zn and B) with recommended NPK and FYM were
used. Indeed, the same treatment also maintained higher microbial and enzymatic activities
indicating an overall improvement in soil fertility. A higher net income of Rs.44,138 and 47,825 per
ha with a B:C ratio of 2.14 and 2.29 was realized due to application of NPK + FYM + ZnSO4 +
Borax in finger millet – soybean and soybean – finger millet based cropping system, respectively.
In the second experiment, the pooled analysis indicated that the growth, yield parameters of
both the crops, grain (4143 kg/ha) and straw yield (6467 kg/ha) of finger millet; seed (2081kg/ha)
and haulm yield of soybean (3304 kg/ha) were significantly higher with the application of NPK +
FYM + ZnSO4 + borax + A. brasilense/ B. japonicum + VAM as compared to control. The same
treatment showed significantly higher seed quality parameters viz., protein and oil yield of soybean,
germination percentage, vigour index and uptake of nutrients (N,P,K,Zn and B) in both the crops.
Indeed, the same treatment also maintained higher microbial and enzymatic activities indicating an
overall improvement in soil fertility. Application of NPK + FYM + ZnSO4 + A.brasilense / B.
japonicum + VAM recorded higher net returns of Rs. 50,753 per ha and B: C ratio (2.13) in finger
millet-soybean based cropping system. Similarly, in soybean-finger millet cropping system higher
net returns was recorded with the application of NPK + FYM + ZnSO4 + B. japonicum /A. brasilense
+ VAM (Rs. 53,629/ha). The B: C ratio was also higher (2.25) with the application of NPK + FYM
+ ZnSO4 + B. japonicum / A.brasilense. Indeed, it is noteworthy to state that under rainfed condition,
soybean-finger millet rotation is highly economical and effective cropping system as compared to
finger millet-soybean in order to improve the soil fertility and crop productivity
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