Narendra Kumawat

Effect of sowing dates, seed rates and integrated nutrition on productivity, profitability and nutrient uptake of summer mungbean in Eastern Himalaya

A field experiment was carried out in the summer seasons of 2010–2012 at north eastern hilly region of Jharnapani, India, to evaluate the effect of sowing dates, seed rates and integrated nutrition on productivity, profitability and nutrient uptake of summer mungbean. Experimental results revealed that 5th April sown crop recorded significantly higher growth attributes, yield, and economics than 15th April sown crop. This was mainly because of the fact that almost all the yield attributing characters were favourably influenced because of early sowing and, therefore, yield increased. Similarly, 5th April sown crop resulted in higher cation exchange capacity (CEC) of roots, root N content, nitrogenase activity (NA), total uptake of N, P, K and protein yield than the 15th April sown crop. Higher yield and economics were found with seed rates of 35 kg ha−1, whereas CEC of roots, root N content and NA were higher at 20 kg ha−1. Application of 50% RDF (recommended dose of fertilizer) + 50% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen as vermicompost) + PSB (phosphate solubilizing bacteria) produced significantly higher growth attributes, yield and economics of mungbean.

Effect of integrated nutrition, biofertilizers and zinc application on production potential and profitability of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in eastern Himalaya, India

A field experiment was conducted during 2010–11 and 2011–12 to evaluate the effect of inorganic, organic and biofertlizers on growth, yield and economics of garden pea. Application of 100% RDF (NPKS i.e. 40:20:20:20) along with 50% RDN (20 kg nitrogen through vermicompost) to garden pea result in higher growth attributes such as plant height (52.05 and 53.85 cm), number of branches plant−1 (5.94 and 6.25), dry matter production plant−1 (31.92 and 33.45 g), root dry weight (1.83 and 2.13 g plant−1), number of nodules plant−1 (20.51 and 21.80) and nodules dry weight (66.63 and 67.88 mg) in the year of 2010 and 2011, respectively. The yield attributes viz, number of pods plant−1 (15.43 and 16.58), number of seeds pod−1 (5.84 and 6.09), 100-grain weight (20.30 and 20.76 g); and grain yield (11.94 and 12.88 g plant−1) and straw yield (21.50 and 22.30 g plant−1) were significantly higher recorded with the application of 100% RDF along with 50% RDN during both the years, respectively. The grain (11.53 and 12.62 q ha−1), straw (21.86 and 23.32 q ha−1) and biological yield (30.95 and 35.93 q ha−1) were recorded with above treatment in respective years. Gross return, net return, B:C ratio, production efficiency (kg day−1 ha−1) and economic efficiency (Rs. ha−1 day−1) were also noted higher with 100% RDF + 50% RDN during both the years. The seed inoculation with biofertilizers + zinc @ 5 kg ha−1 gave the significantly higher growth and yield attributes; seed yield (10.73 and 11.97 q ha−1), straw yield (19.65 and 21.15 q ha−1) and biological yield (30.56 and 33.13 q ha−1) in both the years, respectively. In both the years, gross return (Rs. 36131 and 40151), net return (Rs. 24495 and 28515), B: C ratio (2.07 and 2.42), production efficiency (9.67 and 10.99 kg day−1 ha−1) and economic efficiency (Rs. 221 and 262 day−1 ha−1) were obtained with the combined applied of biofertilizers + zinc @ 5 kg ha−1 during both the years, respectively.

Effect of Gibberllic acid on Growth, Yield and Economics of Maize (Zea mays L.)

The aim of present investigation was to study the effect of foliar application of gibberellic acid (Progibb 40% WSG) spraying at 4-5 leaves stage of the maize crop. Two field experiments were conducted during kharif 2014 and rabi 2014-15 at Research Farm, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Jhabua. Seven treatments (T = 20, T 30, T 40, T 50 T 60 gibberellic acid g/ha, Tricontanol 1 2= 3= 4 = 5= 0.1%= 250 ml/ha and control) were tested in randomized block design with three replications. Results showed that variation in different doses of gibberellic acid had significant effect on growth character (plant height and silking) and yield attributes (no. of cobs/plant, cob length, no. of grains/cob and cob weight/cob); grain yield and stover yield of maize in both the seasons. Higher values of plant height (197.33 and 205.5 cm) and silking (53.67 and 54.67) was recorded with the spraying of gibberellic acid @ 60 g/ha in both the seasons, respectively. Similarly the higher yield attributes viz., no. of cobs/plant (1.48 and 1.49), cob length (17.40 and 17.78 cm), no. of grains/cob (443.33 and 456.67) and cob weight/cob (93.2 and 97.32) were recorded with the application of gibberellic acid @ 50 g/ha in both the seasons, respectively. Application of gibberellic acid @ 50 g/ha produced highest grain yield (3522 and 4277 kg/ha) and stover yield (51.05 and 5413 kg/ha) which was statistically at par with doses of 40 g/ha, 60 g/ha and tricontanol 0.1% @ 250 ml. The maximum gross return (Rs. 56,347 and 65,854), net return (37,722 and 47,229), B: C ratio (3.03 and 3.54), production efficiency (32.49 and 37.19 kg/ha/day) and economic efficiency (339.84 and 410.69 Rs./ha/day) recorded with gibberellic acid @ 50 g/ha. Enhancing of production, productivity and profitability of maize under Jhabua Hill of Madhya Pradesh gibberellic acid applied @ 50 g/ha at 4-5 leaf stage of crop.

Nutrient Solubilizing Microbes (NSMs): Its Role in Sustainable Crop Production

Nowadays the land degradation, deteorating the soil health, is the major constraint, which led to the nutrient depletion and limited potential yield of crops toward the food security worldwide. To enhance the crop production, soil sustainability is one of the ideal and sustainable approaches to overcome depleting the soil fertility status and land degradation. The rhizospheric beneficial microorganisms (RBMs) may offers rate of plant growth, agronomically, pathogenically, and environmentally advantage for intensive agricultural production system. The nitrogen-fixing rhizobacteria (NFR) fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, while phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms solubilize the insoluble phosphorus (P) in the soil, potassium-solubilizing rhizobacteria (KSR) mobilizes the stable potassium in field, and similarly other microorganisms mobilize nutrients in soil and make it easily available to the crop plants. These NFR include symbiotic N2-fixing forms, in leguminous plants, viz., Rhizobium, and obligate symbionts in nonleguminous plant comprising species Alcaligenes, Azomonas, Beijerinckia, Achromobacter, Acetobacter, Arthrobacter, and Bacillus spp.; however, P is the primary essential macronutrient for vegetative and reproductive development of the plants. The majority of phosphorus in most soil is insoluble form and cannot be used by crops. Some important species are Aspergillus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Penicillium, etc., which secrete organic acids (products) that lower pH in their vicinity and help to bring the dissolution of fixed phosphates in soil. Additionally seed bio-priming can provide ~30 kg P2O5/ha. In soil system potassium (K) is associative to movement of water, nutrients, carbohydrates, and cellular and osmotic pressure in plant tissues. Supposing potassium is lacking or not provided in suitable amount, growth of the plants stunts and production reduces. Several bacterial species particularly rhizosphere-colonizing bacteria have been found, which solubilize insoluble inorganic phosphate like that tri-calcium phosphate (TCP), di-calcium phosphate (DCP), hydroxylapatite, and rock phosphate. It is already proved that application of Zn in the form of chemical fertilizer is inappropriate due to its unavailability to crop plants. In the recent past, rhizobacteria have exhibited terrific ability to improve zinc availability in root zone and enhance zinc in plants. In rice, silicate-solubilizing rhizobacteria (SSR) have gained importance in recent times because of their role in solubilization of silicate minerals, rendering potassium silicate (K2SiO3), and makes readily available potassium (K) and silicon (Si) for crop plants. Recent advancement in biotechnology and genetic engineering have provided new opportunity to find out the presence and abundance of particular microbes or to quantify the expression of target genes directly in soil or in rhizosphere with high levels of sensitivity. Genetically modified strains could be capable of solubilizing more available nutrient from the soil or rhizosphere. Development of genetically modified strains with enhanced mobilization by genetic engineering techniques and DNA technology is needed to maintain an eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture. This chapter focuses on diversifying of nutrient solubilizer/mobilizer microbes, mechanism of solubilization/mobilization, role of various enzymes/auxins/acids effect of various factors on nutrient solubilization, the present and future scenario of their utilization, and potential for application of this knowledge in managing a sustainable environmental ecosystem.

Root growth, productivity and profitability of baby corn (Zea mays L.) as influenced by nutrition levels under irrigated ecosystem

A field experiment was conducted at Varanasi during the two consecutive prekharif seasons of 2012 and 2013 to work out the optimum levels of NPKS and Zn application for maximizing the productivity and profitability of baby corn under irrigated ecosystem. Results revealed that root parameters, yield and economics of baby corn were influenced significantly by varying the fertility levels. Significantly highest baby cob (9.55 t/ha), baby corn (2.15 t/ha), green fodder yield (31.51 t/ha), gross returns (202.61 × 103 Rs./ha) and net returns (143.40 ×103 Rs./ha) were recorded with the application of 125% RDF. Further, application of 50 kg S/ha resulted in significantly higher baby cob (9.38 t/ha), baby corn (2.15 t/ha), green fodder yield (30.97 t/ha), net profit (142.07 × 103 Rs./ha) over control but it remained at par with application of 25 kg S/ha. Similarly, application of 10 kg Zn/ha gave the maximum baby cob (9.24 t/ha), baby corn (2.10 t/ha) and green fodder yield (30.49 t/ha) with a net profit (138.81×103 Rs./ha) over control but it remained at par with application of 25 kg S/ha. Hence, the application of 125% RDF and 50 kg S/ha along with 10 kg Zn/ha was found optimum to obtain the maximum productivity and profitability of baby corn under irrigated conditions of Varanasi.