Long term effect of integrated nutrient management on crop productivity, soil fertility and nutrient balance in vertisols under cotton + greengram (1:1) intercropping system

Abstract

A field study was conducted during kharif 2018 at Research field of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra to assess the long term effect of integrated nutrient management on soil fertility and yield of cotton+greengram intercropping system in Vertisols. The soil of the experimental site was Vertisol which was moderately alkaline in reaction, low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. The eight treatments replicated three times in randomized block design comprised of control, 50% and 100% RDF, 50% N ha-1 through gliricidia/FYM, 50% N fertilizers + 50% N ha-1 through gliricidia/FYM + 100% P2O5+ 100% K2O ha-1 fertilizers, 100% N ha-1 through gliricidia + 100% P2O5+ 100% K2O ha-1 fertilizers. The results indicated that the application of 50% RDN through FYM/gliricidia in combination with 50% N + 100% P2O5 + 100% K2O ha-1 through inorganics resulted in higher crop productivity, improvement in soil fertility with higher nutrient balance in Vertisols under cotton+greengram (1:1) intercropping system.