LONG TERM EFFECT OF FYM AND FERTILITY LEVELS ON PROPERTIES OF LOAMY SAND SOIL (Typic Ustochrept) AS WELL AS YIELD AND QUALITY OF CROPS IN A PEARLMILLET-MUSTARD-COWPEA (FODDER) CROPPING SEQUENCE
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Date
2002
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AAU, Anand
Abstract
The physico-chemical and biological properties of soil and yield, quality and nutrient content and uptake by different crops as affected by FYM (0 and 10 t ha-1) and fertility levels [no fertilizer (FL1), 50% (FL2), 100% (FL3) and 150%o (FL4) of the recommended NP] in a pearlmillet-mustard-cowpea (fodder) sequence were evaluated during 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 from a long term experiment being conducted since 1994 at the Micronutrient Project (ICAR), G.A.U.. Anand. Soil samples at different depths of profile (0-15 cm) (D1), 15-30 cm (D2), 30-45 cm (D3), 45-60 cm (D4), 60-75 cm (D5) and 75-90 cm (D6) were collected in 2000 summer after harvest of cowpea (fodder). EFFECT OF FYM Application of FYM @ 10 t ha-1 to kharif pearlmillet had decreased bulk density and increased water holding capacity of soil. Its supplementation also improved availability of total N, P, K, S, Mn and Zn due to increase in organic carbon content of soil in the upper horizon (upto 30 cm). The DTPAextractable Fe in soil at 15-30 cm depth was in a deficient range (<5 mg kg-1). The total microbial biomass carbon and microbial population were improved by about 43, and 8.8 per cent, respectively. The overall increase in seed, straw and total yield of pealmillet was about 42 per cent due to FYM application. The total uptake of all the nutrients was higher under FYM than no FYM. The oil and protein contents of pearlmillet seeds were increased by 6.2 and 12.6 per cent, due to FYM addition, respectively. The increase in seed and straw yields of mustard was to the extent of 16.2 and 6.6 per cent due to FYM over no FYM, respectively. The nitrogen content of mustard seed and straw and S and Mn contents of see4 were significantly improved, while Fe, Zn, Cu contents were lower in seed and straw under FYM than no FYM. The uptake of N, P, K and Fe by seed and straw and thereby total uptake was higher under FYM than no FYM. Similarly, S pptake by seed and total uptake, Mn uptake by straw and total uptake as well as Zn uptake by mustard seed were higher under FYM applied to preceding crop of pearlmillet. The protein (10.1%) and oil (6.6%) contents as well as oil yield (26%) potential were significantly improved due to FYM application. The improvement in fodder yield of cowpea under FYM supplementation was due to increase in'green and dry weight as well as chlorophyll contents. The increase in yield resulted in increase N, K and S contents and uptake by cowpea fodder, while P content and uptake were decreased due to FYM application over no FYM. Among micronutrients, Fe and Cu contents were lower in fodder but their uptake was higher with FYM than no FYM. The protein content of cowpea fodder was increased by 49.8 per cent due to FYM application. EFFECT OF FERTILITY LEVELS The water holding capacity and electrical conductivity of soil were improved due to fertility levels. The available nutrients, especially P was increased, while trends for K, S and Cu were not consistent. Interestingly FL3 (100% recommended) fertility level at 15-30 cm depth gave DTPA Fe < 5 mg kg"', while Zn availability was the maximum. The total microbial biomass carbon content increased upto FL3 and decreased significantly thereafter. The yield attributes in general showed increasing trend with the increasing fertility levels, wherein seed yield of pearlmillet and fodder yield of cowpea were the maximum under FL3, while straw and total yield of pearlmillet and yield of all kinds of mustard were maximum under 150 per cent of the recommended dose of NP. The oil content of pearlmillet and mustard seeds was the maximum at the highest fertility (FL4) level. Similarly protein content of pearlmillet seed and cowpea (fodder) was maximum under FL4 and that of mustard seed under FL3. The uptake of N, P and K by pearlmillet was the highest at the highest fertility level. The S uptake by pearlmillet was the highest at FL4 but in mustard and cowpea it was the highest at FL3. Among different micronutrients, Zn removal was the highest at FL4 in all the three crops, while Fe removal was the highest at the same fertility level under pealmillet only. In case of mustard and cowpea, FL2 and FL3 gave maximum total Fe uptake, respectively.
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Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, A Study