Post harvest nutrient availability as influenced by live mulching and nitrogen management practices in maize – groundnut sequence

Abstract

An investigation was carried out during two consecutive kharif and rabi seasons of 2015 and 2016 on sandy loam soils of dryland farm of S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications to study the direct and residual effect of live mulching and nitrogen management practices on post-harvest nutrient availability in maize – groundnut sequence. Live mulching with annual legumes (sesbania or sunhemp or cowpea) significantly influenced post-harvest nutrient availability. Live mulching with sesbania recorded significantly higher soil available N after harvest of preceding maize as well as succeeding groundnut whereas live mulching with sunhemp recorded significantly higher P2O5 and K2O being on par with cowpea live mulching than no mulching. Similarly, application of 75 per cent of RDN through urea + 25 per cent of RDN through FYM or PM recorded significantly higher soil available N, P2O5 and K2O after harvest of preceding maize as well as succeeding groundnut than100 per cent RDN through urea and control during both the years.