Effects of synthetic fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and bio-fertilizers on the yield and productivity of dual-purpose oat (Avena sativa L.) crops under mid-hill region Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A field study was carried out during Rabi season of 2022-2023 at the Research Farm of the School of Agriculture, Abhilashi University, Mandi (H.P.) to evaluate the effects of synthetic fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and bio-fertilizers on the yield and productivity of dual-purpose oat (Avena sativa L.) crops under mid-hill region Himachal Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The different treatment combination was T1= Absolute control, T2= RDN (N:P2O5:K2O-100:40:40) kg ha-1, T3= 75% of RDN + 25% vermicompost @ 2 t ha-1, T4= T3+ PSB @ 1.5 kg ha-1, T5= T4+ Azotobacter (Seed treatment) @ 10 g/kg of seed, T6= T5+ ZnSo4 @ 25 kg ha-1, T7= T5 + ZnSo4 @ 20 kg ha‑1,T8= T7+ Foliar spray of ZnSo4 (0.5%) at two stage (flowering+ panicle initiation). The maximum plant height (87.09), no. of tillers ( 359.12), dry matter accumulation (779.47), yield attributes viz. spike length (30.22), no. of effective tillers (354.11), no. of spikes (369.43), grain per spike (44.10) and yields i.e., grain yield (13.74),straw yield (62.46), biological yield (76.03), green forage yield (85.30), dry forage yield (16.86) were recorded under treatment T8= T7+ Foliar spray of ZnSo4 (0.5%) at two stage (flowering+ panicle initiation).The higher yield of dual purpose oats was achieved by treatment T8 which proved significantly superior to other treatments. The minimum value of these parameters was recorded under control treatment. The use of inorganic fertilizer along with organic sources had positive and significant effect on growth and yield of oat crop.