Productivity, nutrient uptake and quality of lentil (Lens culinaris) and soil fertility as influenced by organic manures and fertilizers

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2015-16 and 2016-17 at Panwari village of Agra district, (Uttar Pradesh) to study the effect of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers on yield, uptake of nutrients and quality of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus). Treatments consisting four levels of organic manures and three levels of inorganic fertilizers were evaluated in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Results revealed that application of 2.5t FYM + 1.25 t vermicompost ha-1 resulted in significantly maximum value of plant height (51.2cm), branches/plant (7.4) and pods/plant (116.3) as compared to application of 5t FYM and 2.5t vermicompost ha-1 alone and control. Similarly, application of 100% RDF also produced significantly taller plants (50.6cm) and maximum branches/plant (7.6),pods/plant (116.2), grain (1.65t ha-1 and straw (2.01t ha-1) yields. The increases in grain and straw yield were 33.0 and 28.0%, respectively due to 100% RDF over control. The significantly highest yield of grain (1.75 t ha-1) and straw (2.12t ha-1) were recorded with combined application of 2.5t FYM + 1.25t vermicompost ha-1 than those of 5t FYM and 2.5t vermicompost ha-1 alone and control. The increases in grain and straw yield due to 2.5t FYM + 1.25t vermicompost ha-1 were 53.5 and 50.3% over control, respectively. The interaction effect of 2.5t FYM + 1.25t vermicompost ha-1 and 100% RDF recorded maximum yield of grain (1.95t ha-1) and straw (2.31t ha-1) than other treatment combinations. Combined application of FYM (2.5t ha-1) and vermicompost (1.25t ha-1) recorded significantly highest protein content in grain and straw of lentil. The uptake of nutrients (N, P, K and S) and status of these nutrients in post harvest soil were recorded maximum with 2.5t FYM + 1.25t vermicompost ha-1. Application of 100% RDF also resulted in significantly higher values of protein content, uptake of nutrients and status of available nutrients in post harvest soil than that of 50% RDF.