Enriched sources of plant nutrients and different levels of phosphorus on sustained cowpea production in Typic Haplusterts soil

Abstract

To optimize the level of P2O5 and to find out the best source, a pot experiment was conducted with thirteen treatments and three replications in CRD. The treatments included were control, 50, 75 and 100% P2O5 enriched FYM, Enriched pressmud and incubated rock phosphate. The results revealed that addition of 100% P2O5 enriched pressmud (EPM) significantly improved the pod yield P uptake and soil health interms of soil available phosphorus and organic carbon content. The best treatments were screened, selected and imposed into the second pot experiment with further levels. This study included seven treatments and three replication conducted in CRD. The treatments were 100, 125 and 150 % P2O5 enriched pressmud (EPM), incubated rock phosphate (IRP). Cowpea cv. VBN 1 grown as test crop for both the pot experiments. Finally the study concluded that though 150% P2O5 enriched pressmud (EPM) resulted in higher pod yield, P uptake, soil available P and organic carbon content, application of 125% P2O5 enriched pressmud (EPM) was sufficient to obtain significantly highest pod yield of cowpea under sustained soil health in clay loam soil.