Integrated Fertilizer Prescription Equations for Recommendations of Fertilizers in Jute–Rice–Garden Pea Sequence on Alluvial Soil of Eastern India

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted on alluvial soils (Typic Eutrochrept) of eastern India by adopting inductive cum targeted yield model to assess the fertility status, fertilizer requirements, and formulation with and without integrated plant nutrient supply fertilizer (IPNS) prescription equation for jute fiber, rice grain, and garden pea on soil-test and yield target bases. By using yields, initial soil-test values, uptake of nutrients, and fertilizer doses applied, the basic data [viz., nutrient requirement (NR) and contributions of nutrients from soil (Cs), fertilizers (Cf), and farmyard manure (Cfym)] were computed and used to develop fertilizer prescription equations for jute fiber, rice grain, and garden pea with and without IPNS under a jute–rice–garden pea sequence. The greatest nutrient requirement was observed in jute [2.88:0.97:5.07 kg nitrogen (N)/phosphorus (P)/potassium (K)] followed by rice (2.34:0.47:3.48 kg N/P/K) and garden pea (0.52:0.11:0.39 kg N/P/K) for the production of 100 kg yields of jute fiber/rice grain/green pod, respectively. It was found that soil has contributed the greatest percentage of N (20.6%) and K (47.29%) toward the total N and K uptake by rice followed in jute whereas the greatest percentage contribution of P (21.1%) occurred in jute. However, the greatest contribution of N, P, and K from the fertilizer was observed in jute, followed by rice and garden pea. Nitrogen contribution from fertilizer was 12.5 and 42.9% greater in jute than rice and garden pea, respectively. The greatest fiber and green pod yield in jute were recorded in the high-fertility gradient (strip III), whereas maximum rice grain yield was observed in the low-fertility gradient (strip I), which clearly indicated that high-fertility status favored the production of jute and garden pea but low-fertility status is suitable for rice production. By following ready table, a farmer can save N, phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), and dipotassium oxide (K2O) in amounts of 3.21, 9.93, and 10.94; 6.35, 7.00, and 9.15; and 34.0, 26.0, and 34.4% more as compared to without IPNS respectively in jute, rice, and garden pea. Application of farmyard manure (FYM) in different fertility gradients improved the organic carbon (C) and available N, P, and K with increasing fertility.