Soil fertility, macro and micro nutrient uptake and their use efficiencies under integrated nutrient management in groundnut (<em>Arachis hypogaea </em>L.)

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Soil Fertility, Macro and Micro Nutrient Uptake and their Use Efficiencies under Integrated Nutrient Management in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was conducted during kharif season of 2017 at research farm, COA, Gwalior on sandy clay loam soil to study the response of groundnut fertilizers and biofertilizers. Four fertility levels viz., 25, 50, 75 and 100% RDF and three biofertilizer inoculation viz., no bio-formulations (B1), liquid Bio-NPK + Zn solubilizing bacteria (B2) and bio-grow (B3) to groundnut in 12 treatment combinations replicated thrice in split plot design. The yield and nutrient uptake (N, P, K, Zn) was significantly highest with 100% RDF and liquid Bio-NPK + Zn solubilizing bacteria. Nutrient use efficiencies for macro nutrients were highest with 25% RDF and liquid Bio-NPK+ Zn solubilizing bacteria. Highest status of N, P and K in soil recorded with 100% RDF and bio-grow inoculation. Available zinc in soil was non-significant to different fertility levels but biofertilizer inoculation significantly improved Zn status of soil.