Long term effect of integrated nutrient management on soil biological properties and productivity of cotton + greengram intercropping system in vertisols

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2016-17 on the long term experiment initiated during 1987 on Vertisols at Research field of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, Dr. PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra. The study was conducted with the objective to assess the long term impact of integrated nutrient management on biological properties of soil and yield sustainability under cotton+greengram (1:1) intercropping system in Vertisols The eight treatments comprised of control,100% RDF(50:25:00 NPK kg ha-1) through chemical fertilizer,50% RDF through chemical fertilizer, 50% N through FYM/gliricidia, 50% N through fertilizers + 50% N through FYM/gliricidia +100% P2O5 ha-1 fertilizers and 100% N ha-1 gliricidia + 100% P2O5 ha-1 fertilizers in randomised block design with three replications. The results after 30th cycle(2016-17) indicated the significant improvement in soil biological properties and enhanced productivity of crops under integrated nutrient management comprising of 50% N through FYM/gliricidia + 50% N through inorganics + 100% P2O5 ha-1, while the lowest improvement was observed in control, indicating considerable enhancement in soil quality due to integrated nutrient management. Hence, it is concluded that long term integrated use of 50% N through FYM/gliricidia + 50% N through fertilizers + 100% P2O5 ha-1 not only significantly improved biological properties of soil but it was found as the most promising approach from the view point of yield sustainability of cotton+greengram (1:1) intercropping system in Vertisols under rainfed condition.