Effect of lime coating and molybdenum seed treatment on productivity and nutrient uptake of different pulses grown in Alfisols

Abstract

In order to study the effect of lime coating and molybdenum seed treatment on pulses grown in Alfisols, a field trial was conducted in the village Haripur of Khordha district during summer (2017). The experimental soil was sandy loam in texture, strongly acidic soil reactions (pHw-4.49) with low organic carbon (4.6g/kg soil), and low status for available N, P, K, S and Mo. Each of the four crops (green gram, black gram, cowpea, horse gram) was subjected to five package of practices (POPs), namely (i) Only application of soil test dose (STD) of fertilizers without seed inoculation with Rhizobium, (ii) STD + seed inoculation with Rhizobium (R), (iii) STD + seed inoculation with Rhizobium (R) + seed coated with lime (CaCO3) @ 12.5 mg seed-1 or 4 kg CaCO3 for 25 kg of seed required for one hectare of land (SL), (iv) STD + seed inoculation with Rhizobium (R) + molybdenum seed treatment @ 10 g sodium molybdate 25 kg-1 seed required for one hectare of land (Mo), (v) Adoption of all the above packages (STD+R+SL+Mo). The POPs supported balanced nutrition of crops with all positive balance for organic carbon and available major nutrients like N, P, K and S in post-harvest soil. The POPs were capable of doubling the seed yield under problematic soil conditions like acid soils.