Effect of nutrient management in Lucerne (Medicogo sativa) under Melia dubia based silvipasture system

Abstract

A field investigation was conducted during rabi seasons of 2018-19 to 2020-21 at Agroforestry Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to utilizing area between trees through growing fodder crops like lucerne crop with best nutrient management. Six treatments were evaluated in Randomized block design with four replications which are: 75% RDF; 100% RDF; 50% RDF + 5 t FYM/ha; 75% RDF with 5 t FYM/ha; 50% RDF with 5 t FYM/ha and seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB; and 75% RDF with 5 t FYM/ha and seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB. The results showed application of 75 per cent RDF (15-60 kg N- P2O5/ha) + 5 t FYM + Rhizobium + PSB recorded higher plant height (79.27 cm), green (39.46 t/ha) and dry fodder yield (7.31 t/ha), soil organic carbon (0.28%) with net return (Rs.86717 /ha) and Benefit cost ratio (2.22) over other combination and sole application of inorganic sources of nutrients. From the three years experimentation, it can be concluded that for getting higher growth, green fodder yield and net return the lucerne crop growing as intercrop in Melia dubia and fertilized with 75 per cent RDF (15:60:00 N:P2O5:K2O kg/ha), 5 t/ha FYM and seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB each 5 ml/kg seed.