Concentration and Uptake of Micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn) in Soybean and Wheat under Organic, Biodynamic and Inorganic Nutrient Management in Semi-arid Tropical Conditions of Central India

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present investigation, the concentration and uptake of four micronutrients (iron-Fe, zinc-Zn, copper-Cu, and manganese-Mn) in soybean (Glycine max, cv. JS 335) and wheat (Triticum durum, cv. HI 8498) crops under organic, biodynamic, and inorganic nutrient management was studied. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with seven treatments in four replications. The treatments involved different nutrient inputs, namely, organic manure (OM) (T1); biodynamic preparation (BD) (T2); OM+ panchagavya (OM+PG) (T3); OM+BD (T4); OM+PG+BD (T5); control (T6); and recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (T7). Cattle dung manure on N equivalent basis to soybean in kharif and cattle dung manure (CDM) + vermicompost (VC) + poultry manure (PM) (1:1:1 on N equivalent basis) to wheat were applied as organic manure, whereas nutrients were supplied in the form of chemical fertilizers in RDF treatment. The results revealed that the micronutrient concentration in soybean seed under organic nutrient management registered an increment of 13–16% in Fe, 16–19% in Zn, 20–23% in Cu, and 19–25% in Mn over the treatment T7 (RDF). Similarly, an increment of 16–19% in Fe, 21–27% in Zn, 20–23% in Cu, and 20–26% in Mn content of wheat grain was also observed over RDF. The micronutrient uptake by soybean-wheat sequence was found higher under organic treatments (Fe:20–29%; Zn:13–22%; Cu:11–19%; and Mn:12–19%) as compared to RDF. The availability of Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn was increased by 30–36%, 32–45%, 5–12%, and 20–36%, respectively, under organic treatments over RDF.