PERFORMANCE OF WEEDS COMPOST IN MAIZE-GROUNDNUT SYSTEM AND CROP GROWTH MODELING IN MAIZE
Loading...
Files
Date
2017-11-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK, BENGALURU
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during 2009-10 and 2010-11 at Main Research
Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Hebbal, Bengaluru, to study the influence of
weeds’ compost on productivity soil health and to know growth pattern through
functional crop growth models. Fourteen treatments comprised were four weeds’
composts namely Chromolaena, Parthenium, Cassia, water hyacinth and FYM to supply
25 % Nitrogen along with 75% and 100% recommended fertilizer dose (RDF), 10 tons
ha-1 FYM+ 100% RDF, 75% and 100% of RDF alone and absolute control. The RCBD
design for maize –groundnut cropping system with three replications were followed. The
higher kernel yields of maize were obtained with the application of 25 % N through four
weeds’ composts and FYM + 100 % RDF application (6124 to 6248 kg ha-1) and were
similar to the yield obtained in plot treated with 10 tons ha-1 of FYM + 100% RDF (6301
kg ha-1). Further, maize treated with 75% RDF along with 25% N through four weeds’
compost gave significantly higher kernel yield than 100% RDF alone (3766 kg/ha) and
25% N through FYM + 75% RDF (4018 kg/ha), 75% RDF alone (2568 kg/ha) and
absolute control (1622 kg/ha). nevertheless, residual effect of these four weed composts
and FYM at 25 % N substitution along with 75% and 100% RDF applied to previous
maize on succeeding groundnut was conspicuous by providing higher kernel yield (1279
to 1410 kg ha-1), as compared to 75% RDF alone (702 kg ha-1) or 100% RDF alone (1159
kg ha-1) correspondingly. However, kernel yield was significantly lower in absolute
control plot (574 kg ha-1) as compared to nutrients’ supplied plots in succeeding
groundnut. Use of 25 % N from four weeds’ composts and FYM in maize-groundnut
cropping systems along with 75% or 100% RDF produced the higher growth and yield
attributes, organic carbon, available nutrients in soil, nutrients uptake by crops and
substantial increase in soil biological health in terms of soil microbial biomass C and N,
and phosphatase activity than the corresponding fertilizer alone and were similar to FYM
usage. Further, the use of compost did not affect the time dependent growth phenomenon,
but increased the dry matter production and lowered the phyllochrone requirement for
leaf emergence in maize-groundnut cropping system as observed through functional crop
growth models.
Description
Keywords
null