Physical, chemical and biological properties of soil as influenced by organic sources in cotton under rainfed condition

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted during 2017-18 to study the Physical, chemical and biological properties of soil as influenced by organic sources in cotton under rainfed condition at Cotton Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during kharif season. The physical, chemical and biological properties were improved with FYM @12.5 t ha-1 followed by seed treatment of biofertilzer + PPFM PGR spray @ 1% + neem cake @ 250 kg ha-1 with cotton + sunhemp GMS (1:1). Soil available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium after harvest of crop were influenced significantly due to different organic sources of manures. Significantly more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were remained in soil where RD of nutrient applied through organics on P equivalent basis (FYM @12.5t ha-1) after second year of study. While minimum soil available nutrients were observed control/no organics. Different organic sources showed numerically higher number microbial population (Bacteria, Fungi and Actinomycetes) was found in FYM and combined application of green manuring and cotton + blackgram and sunhemp intercropping + neem cake application @ 250 kg ha-1 at 50% flowering and 50% boll bursting stage of crop during both the years of study.