EFFECT OF MICROBIAL INOCULANTS ON YIELD AND SOIL FERTILITY IN SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum) SHORT CROP
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Date
2024-05-22
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Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University
Abstract
Integrated use of microbial inoculants and fertilizers was evaluated for
crop response, soil fertility and economic feasibility in sugarcane short crop
through field experiment during 2021-22 at Agricultural Research Station,
Perumallapalle, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra
Pradesh. The experimental soil was neutral in reaction, non saline, low in organic
carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in
potassium.
The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with ten
treatments and three replications. The treatments comprises of viz., Control 100%
RDF (T1), 125% RDF (T2), 100% RDF + soil application of solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T3), 100% RDF + sett treatment with solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T4), 75% RDF + soil application of solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T5), 75% RDF + sett treatment with solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T6), 100% RDF + soil application of liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T7), 100% RDF + sett treatment with liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8), 75% RDF + soil application of liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T9) and 75% RDF + sett treatment with liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T10). The recommended dose of fertilizers for
sugarcane short crop is 224-112-112 kg N-P2O5-K2O ha-1
. Solid
Gluconacetobacter, PSB and KSB were applied @ 10 kg ha-1
each for soil
application. The recommended dose of solid biofertilizers for sett treatment was
10 kg - 1.25 kg - 1.25 kg ha-1 of Gluconacetobacter, PSB and KSB, respectively.
Recommended dose of liquid Gluconacetobacter, PSB and KSB for soil
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application was 1 l, 1.25 l and 1.25 l ha-1
, respectively. Similar quantity of liquid
Gluconacetobacter, PSB and KSB was used for sett treatment.
Among ten treatments significantly the highest germination percentage of
sugarcane short crop was observed with 100% RDF + sett treatment with liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8). Significantly the highest dry matter
production was recorded with 100% RDF + sett treatment with liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8) at tillering, grand growth and harvest
stages.
Significantly the highest number of tillers, shoot population, stalk
population, cane length and cane yield was produced with the application of
100% RDF + sett treatment with liquid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8).
Combined application of 100% RDF and sett treatment with liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8) resulted significantly the highest N, P, K,
S, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu uptake by plant at tillering, grand growth and harvest
stages.
Significantly the highest available N, P2O5, K2O and S in soil was
observed with the application of 100% RDF + soil application of liquid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T7) at tillering and grand growth stage while,
at harvest it was at par with 100% RDF + soil application of solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T3).
The DTPA extractable Fe and Zn in soil were significantly superior with
100% RDF + soil application of liquid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T7) at
tillering, grand growth and harvest stages.
Application of 100% RDF + soil application of liquid Gluconacetobacter
+ PSB + KSB (T7) resulted significantly the highest urease, dehydrogenase, acid
phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity at tillering and grand growth stage
whereas, it was on par with 100% RDF + soil application of solid
Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T3) at harvest. All these enzymes activities
were increased from tillering to grand growth and later decreased at harvest.
Among the treatments, the highest number of soil microbial population
viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were observed with 100% RDF + sett
treatment with liquid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8) which was on par
with 100% RDF + soil application of liquid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB
(T7) at tillering, grand growth and harvest stages.
Higher benefit cost ratio was obtained with 100% RDF + sett treatment
with liquid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T8) followed by 100% RDF + sett
treatment with solid Gluconacetobacter + PSB + KSB (T7).
In conclusion, the study indicated that application of 100% RDF along
with sett treatment with liquid Gluconacetobacter, PSB and KSB to sugarcane is
found to be ecologically and economically feasible nutrient management practice
to achieve sustainable yields in Southern Agroclimatic Zone of Andhra Pradesh.