Effect of kharif legumes on nutrient uptake by Rabi maize

Abstract

In this current study, the treatments consisted of three legumes, viz., groundnut (C1), cowpea (C2) and cluster bean (C3) as main plot treatments taken up during the kharif season and two residue management practices viz., residue incorporation (I1) and no residue incorporation (I2) as sub-plot treatments and four nitrogen levels 75% RDN (N1), 100% RDN (N2), 125% RDN (N3) and 150% RDN (N4) as sub-sub plot treatments to maize as 120 kg N ha-1 being the recommended dose during rabi in Odisha. Significantly higher N, P, K uptake by maize was observed with incorporation of legume crop residues in the first and second year of study at all the growth stages when compared with no residue incorporation. Significant improvement in the nutrient uptake by maize was observed at various growth periods, with increase in the level of nitrogen application and highest uptake was recorded with application of 180 kg N ha-1 and found significantly superior to other nitrogen levels.