Nutrient uptake and quality parameters of finger millet as influenced by crop residue composting

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi, 2018-19 at Students Farm, College of Agriculture. Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam texture with pH 7.46, EC 0.36 dS m‑1 and OC (0.67%). The soil was low in available nitrogen (260.0 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (45.1 kg ha-1) and high in available potassium (521.0 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The results revealed that, conjunctive use of inorganics and organics through crop residue composting significantly influenced the nutrient uptake and quality parameters of finger millet. Application of 75% RDN + 25% N through cotton stubbles vermicompost + 2% rockphosphate recorded significantly higher grain (3540 kg ha-1) and straw yield (5899 kg ha-1). The lowest grain (1453 kg ha-1) and straw yield (3737 kg ha-1) were recorded with control plot that consisted of no nitrogen application. Similarly, significantly higher NPK uptake (51.0, 5.5 and 21.9 kg ha-1) by grain and straw (56.0, 25.1 and 102.6 kg ha-1) was recorded with application of 75% RDN+ 25% N through cotton stubbles vermicompost + 2% rockphosphate followed by T5 treatment - 75% RDN + 25% N through cotton stubbles vermicompost. Quality parameters viz., calcium (0.44%), iron (85.2 ppm), zinc (32.0 ppm) and crude protein content (9.0%) in grain were also higher with the application of 75% RDN + 25% N through cotton stubbles vermicompost + 2% rockphosphate over rest of the treatments and the treatment was comparable with 75% RDN +25% N through cotton stubbles vermicompost.