Growth and productivity of wheat under soil test crop response based nutrient management in vertisols of Vindhya plateau

Abstract

In order to evaluate the soil test crop response (STCR) based integrated nutrient management in restricted irrigated wheat under the soybean-wheat cropping system in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, a multi-location trial was carried out in participatory method for three consecutive years during rabi 2016-17 to 2018-19. The findings showed that the maximum mean grain (3586 kg ha-1) and stover (4684 kg ha-1) yields of wheat were obtained using the STCR-based nutrient management through inorganic sources with biofertilizers (Azotobactor & phosphate solubilizing bacteria @ 5 kg ha-1, potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 2.5 kg ha-1). These yields were 84.9 and 82.8% higher than the control (Farmers practice), respectively. The grain production from STCR-based nutrient management using only chemical fertilizers was 3491 kg ha-1, which was only 0.25% less than the desired output but noticeably greater than the yield from RDF using alone chemical fertilizers and RDF plus biofertilizers. According to the statistical analysis of the data, RDF treatments significantly increased the grain and stover yield of wheat compared to farmers' practices. In comparison to other treatments, STCR-based fertilizer nutrient management using biofertilizers and STCR-based nutrient management using chemical fertilizers alone both significantly outperformed over the control in terms of nutrient uptake. The post-harvest soil analysis revealed higher values of available P and K with STCR-based nutrient management with biofertilizers when compared to other treatments, and this difference was statistically significant over control; however, a net negative balance of 45.48, 0.28, and 21.85 kg ha-1 in available N, P, and K was documented under farmers' practices. Maximum net return and B:C ratio (Rs. 42512 ha-1 and 4.04), followed by RDF by chemical fertilizers alone (Rs. 40688 ha-1 and 3.85) and minimum in FP plots (Rs. 17214 ha-1 and 2.29), were observed in STCR-based nutrient management with biofertilizers. The study unambiguously showed how STCR-based nutrient management combined with biofertilizers can achieve the desired crop yield with conserving nutrients and enhancing soil fertility.