Mishra, H.S.Singh, Ashutosh2017-06-012017-06-012010-01http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810013692A field experiment were conducted during kharif season of 2007 and 2008 at N. E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand to study the effect of integrated nutrient management in pigeon-pea based intercropping system on soil properties, growth and yield of pigeon-pea, black-gram, maize on Mollisols of the Tarai region. Treatments comprised 3 cropping system (sole pigeon-pea, pigeon-pea + black-gram and pigeon-pea + maize), 2 inoculation (PSB-inoculation and uninoculation) and 3 levels of FYM (0, 2.5 and 5.0 t ha-1). Eighteen treatment combinations were replicated three times in a factorial randomized block design. The soil was sandy loam in texture, medium in organic carbon (0.81%), low in available N (199.8 kg ha-1), and medium in available P (17.2 kg ha-1) and available K (219.7 kg ha-1) contents with pH 7.2. The crop pigeon-pea ‘UPAS-120’, black-gram ‘PantUrd-40’ and maize ‘Surya’ was sown on 2nd and 16th July during 2007 and 2008, respectively. A basal dose of 20 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O ha-1 for pigeon-pea and black-gram and for maize 60 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O ha-1 was furrow placed at the time of sowing and half dose (60 kg N) for maize was applied 30 and 50 days after sowing. Seed of pigeon-pea and blackgram were inoculated with PSB (Bacillus polymyxa) @ 20 g culture kg-1 seed before sowing. Intercrop was harvested 110 and 105 DAS (black-gram) and 94 and 83 DAS (maize) during 2007 and 2008, respectively. The pigeon-pea crop was harvested on 29th December in 2007 and 30th December in 2008. Most of the growth parameters viz. plant height, branches, dry matter production, nodules number and their weight, yield attributes and yield of pigeon-pea were significantly higher under pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system. Similar results were also obtained with PSB-inoculation and FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 for all crops. Pigeon-pea grain equivalent yield was reported significantly higher under pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system followed by pigeon-pea + maize and sole pigeon-pea. Protein content and yield in pigeon-pea increased under pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system. PSB-inoculation and 5.0 t FYM ha-1 were also increased the protein content and yield in pigeon-pea and black-gram. Nutrient concentration (N, P and K) in plant parts and its uptake by crop of pigeon-pea were maximum under pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system followed by sole pigeon-pea and pigeon-pea + maize cropping system. PSB-inoculation and FYM application @ 5.0 t ha-1 increased the nutrient content (N, P and K) and its uptake by all the crops at all the growth stages. Pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system, PSB-inoculation and FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 significantly increased microbial population and dehydrogenase activity in soil after the harvest of pigeon-pea. There was no significant effect of the treatments on soil pH and EC. PSB-inoculation non-significant increased the organic carbon, available N and K in soil but significantly increased the available P in soil. However, available N, P and K content significantly increased by intercropping system, PSB-inoculation and FYM application while available K in soil did not significant increased by FYM application. Application of different treatments did not affect physical properties of soil significantly after harvest of pigeon-pea over control in both the years. Finally, pigeon-pea + black-gram cropping system supplied with PSB-inoculation and FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 was found to be suitable in terms of both soil health and crops performance which Needs further investigation to be recommended to field level.enThesis