Potential organic nutrient management practices for wheat (Triticum aestivum) in south-eastern Rajasthan

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) seasons of 2017–18 to 2021–22 at Agricultural Research Station, Ummedganj, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan to develop natural and organic nutrient management technologies for sustainable wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production to improve soil health and income security of the farmers. The experiment comprised of 8 treatments, viz. 100% N-FYM fb 10% cow urine (CU) spray at 25, 50 and 75 DAS; 50% N-FYM + 50% N-Vermicompost (VC) fb 10% vermiwash (VW) spray at 25, 50 and 75 DAS; 100% N-FYM + NPK consortia @1250 ml/ha as a soil application; 75% N-FYM + NPK consortia @1250 ml/ha as a soil application; 75% N-FYM + NPK consortia @1250 ml/ha as a soil application fb 10% cow urine spray at 25, 50 and 75 DAS; 75% N-FYM + NPK consortia @1250 ml/ha as a soil application fb amritasanjeevani spray @10% at 25, 50 and 75 DAS; jeevamrut @500 litre/ha at sowing, 25 and 50 DAS; and ghanjeevamrut @500 kg/ha at sowing, 25 and 50 DAS, in a randomized block design (RBD), replicated thrice. A critical examination of 5 years results revealed that significantly higher plant height (66.01 cm), tillers/plant (8.57), dry weight /meter row length (77.20 g), effective tillers/meter row length (80.60), ear length (8.93 cm), seeds/ear (44.90), test weight (41.90 g), seed yield (3756 kg/ha) and gross returns (`100,605/ha) of wheat were obtained under the application of 50% N-FYM + 50% N-VC fb10% vermiwash spray at 25, 50 and 75 DAS over ghanjeevamrut @500 kg/ha at sowing, 25 and 50 DAS and jeevamrut @500 litre/ha at sowing, 25 and 50 DAS and on par with rest of treatments in pooled analysis. However, net returns (`63,020/ha) and B:C ratio (1.77) of wheat were obtained significantly higher under application of 75% N-FYM+ NPK consortia @1,250 ml/ha as a soil fb amritasanjeevani spray @10% at 25, 50 and 75 DAS. Result on soil health improvement revealed that significantly higher organic carbon (0.66%), available phosphorus, potassium, sulphur (63.94, 432.8 and 28.21 kg/ha, respectively) and available zinc (0.90 mg/kg) were recorded with the application of 50% N-FYM + 50% N-VC fb10% vermiwash spray at 25, 50 and 75 DAS.