Studying the influence of long term INM practices on yield and quality of Ragi crop

Abstract

Ragi is nutritionally potential upland cereal dry land crop known for its multifarious uses. The long term experiment (6 years) on upland irrigated system was initiated during 2010 with 10 different INM treatments, namely (1) Absolute control, (2) BFs, (3) ½ STD + BFs, (4) STD, (5) STD +FYM, (6) STD + BC, (7) STD + FYM + BFs, (8) STD + VC + BFs, (9) STD + FYM + Lime + BFs and (10) STD + VC + Lime + BFs. The grain yield of ragi due to long term (6 years) INM practices varied between 1.14 and 2.72t ha-1, lowest in absolute control and highest in STD+FYM+Lime+BFs. Use of BFs alone increased the grain yield by 30% and its integration with 1/2 STD by 57 percent compared over control. However, this yield were not in acceptable level. Without fertilizers application (control) there was 48% yield loss compared to the yield of 2.19 t ha-1 due to STD. Alone organics (FYM/VC) addition either alone or with BFs or further with BFs + lime increased the grain yield by 10,16.4 and 22 percent compared to the grain yield of 2.19 t ha-1 due to STD.