Effect of crop combinations and nutrient management practices on the growth parameters, yield attributes and yield of horsegram under sweetcorn based cropping systems in rainfed upland

Abstract

Low yields in rainfed upland are a common occurrence due to erratic rainfall, moisture stress during critical crop growth period, low soil fertility, severe weed competition. A field study was conducted at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar to augment the productivity in such ecosystem during the kharif and Rabi of 2017-18. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 4 main plots for cropping systems and 3 sub plots dealing with nutrient management practices. Horsegram was shown in residual soil fertility and residual soil moisture in rabi following rice (C1), sweet corn (C2), sweet corn + black gram (C3) and sweet corn + cowpea (C4). Study revealed that incorporating crop residues after kharif as well as balanced fertilizer application with 75% RDN and 25% N through organic source influenced the horsegram yield positively. Due to higher obtained yield in C3 and C4 under INM, the premium price for the produce also gives a sustainable profit.