Effect of fertilizers, fym and microbial inoculants on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) in a mollisol
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Date
2004-06
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted during Rabi, 2001-02 and 2002-03 to evaluate the effect of fertilizers, FYM and microbial inoculants on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) in a Mollisol. The treatments replicated thrice in a randomized block design consisted of T1 (Control), T2 (30 : 60 : 40 N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha), T3 (NPK + Sinorhizobium meliloti), T4 [NPK + PSB (Bacillus megaterium)], T5 (NPK+ Sinorhizobium + PSB), T6 (NPK+ Sinorhizobium + PSB +FYM @ 5.0 t, 30% moisture per hectare), T7 (50% N + 100% P+ 100% K + Sinorhizobium), T8 (50% N+ 67% P + 100% K + Sinorhizobium + PSB), T9 (25% N + 50% P + 75% K + Sinorhizobium + PSB + FYM @ 5.0 t, 30% moisture per hectare) and T10 (Sinorhizobium + PSB + FYM @ 15 t, 30% moisture per hectare). The effect of various INM treatments on yield attributing characters, yield, nutrient uptake and post harvest soil fertility indices were observed. The results conclusively established the positive role of various sources of nutrition in not only enhancing the growth and yield of fenugreek but also in contributing towards conserving the soil fertility, which in tern, may prove highly beneficial on a long-term basis. The highest seed yield was recorded in the treatment T2 (NPK) during the year 2001-02 and in T6 during 2002-03. The T6 treatment was found to be the best among other treatments regarding all growth parameters, test weight (12.13 and 13.14 g), uptake of total N (245.05 and 203.84 kg/ha), total P (12.89 and 10.67 kg/ha), total K (210.60 and 112.17 kg/ha) and micronutrient cations (Zn-0.19, Fe-1.16, Mn-0.17 and Cu-0.04 kg/ha respectively). Post harvest soil fertility status was also highest in the same treatment with organic carbon content (1.28 and 1.30%), available N (256.90 and 257.30 kg/ha), P (29.78 and 26.78 kg/ha), K (224.02 and 224.75 kg/ha) and micronutrient cations (0.95, 6.60, 10.10 and 1.88 mg/kg of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu). The hypothesis of adjusting the recommended NP doses (to the extent of 15 kg N/ha and 20 kg P2O5/ha) with microbial inoculants (Sinorhizobium and PSB) was found to be correct. The production of comparable yield of fenugreek in this Mollisol, under the organic farming mode by raising the FYM dose to about 15 t, 30% moisture per hectare along with biofertilizers and without the addition of chemical fertilizers was also found to be feasible.