Effect of land configuration and nutrient module on nutrient uptake by cotton

Abstract

A field study entitled “Effect of land configuration and nutrient module on soil fertility and productivity of rainfed cotton in Vertisols” was conducted during kharif season of 2012-13 at Research field of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. The experiment comprised of two factors involving land configuration and nutrient module. Land configuration comprised of flat bed, ridges and furrows, opening of furrow after two rows and opening of furrow after each row while nutrient module comprised of five treatments involving RDF 50:25:25 kg NPK ha-1 through chemical fertilizers, FYM @ 10t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobacter, 50% RDF + FYM @ 5t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobacter, vermicompost @2.5t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobacter and glyricidia @ 10t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobacter. Twenty treatment combinations were executed in split plot design with three replications. The results indicated that the opening of furrow in each row at 30-40 DAS and 100% RDF (50:25:25 kg NPK ha-1 through chemical fertilizer) recorded higher nutirent uptake and was found to be on par with ridges and furrows with integrated application of 50% RDF + FYM @ 5t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobactor. Hence, it is concluded that integrated application of 50% RDF (25:12.5:12.5 NPK kg ha-1) + FYM @5t ha-1 + PSB + Azotobactor and opening of furrow after each row at 30-40 DAS resulted in higher nutirent uptake of Vertisols under rainfed conditions.