Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON PEARLMILLET (PENNISETUM GLAUCUM L.) – SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) CROPPING SYSTEM UNDER SET ROW CULTIVATION IN VERTIC–INCEPTISOL

G.S. Yadahalli, M.B. Guled and G. Y. Vidyavathi

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on pearl millet – sunflower sequence cropping system under set row cultivation in shallow black soil during kharif and rabi season of 2004 – 05, 2005 – 06 and 2006 – 07 at AICRP on Dryland Agriculture, Bijapur. The pooled data of three year indicated that incorporation of GLM + crop residue + 100 per cent of RDF in set furrows recorded significantly higher pearl millet equivalent yield (3482 kg/ha), net returns (11268 Rs/ha) and B:C ratio (2.29) as compared to other treatments. However, it was on par with incorporation of GLM + crop residue + 50 per cent of each RDF and FYM in set furrows (3321 kg/ha, 10709 Rs/ha and 2.28, respectively). Soil moisture content was significantly higher with the application of GLM + CR + 50 per cent of each RDF and FYM in set furrows (135 cm) at all the growth stages of pearl millet and sunflower. Availability of soil nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon were improved and similarly soil microbial populations (Bacteria, Fungi, Actinomycetes, Azotobacter, Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) Fluorescent pseudomonas) were also significantly influenced by incorporation of GLM + crop residue in set furrows.