Residual effect of nitrogen management on succeeding summer moong (Vigna radiata) under maize-wheat-moong rotation

Abstract

Nitrogen management in crop/cropping system plays a significant role to enhance crop growth and productivity in sustainable manner. To ensure sustained soil fertility, optimal crop growth and productivity in subsequent growing seasons, it is necessary to consider the residual effect of N management on moong (Vigna radiata L.). Therefore, a field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2019–20 and 2020–21) to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrition with/without residue retention applied to preceding crops on growth and productivity of succeeding moong. Fourteen treatments applied to preceding crops were, T1, 100% N through FYM without residue; T2, 100% N through FYM with residue; T3, 75% N through FYM + 25% RDF without residue; T4, 75% N through FYM + 25% RDF with residue; T5, 50% N through FYM + 50% RDF without residue; T6, 50% N through FYM + 50% RDF with residue; T7, 25% N through FYM + 75% RDF without residue; T8, 25% N through FYM + 75% RDF with residue; T9, 100% RDF + 25% N extra through FYM without residue; T10, 100% RDF + 25% N extra through FYM with residue; T11, 100% RDF without residue; T12, 100% RDF with residue; T13, Cowpea intercropping without fertilizer in maize and residue retention in wheat and; T14, Control. The data revealed that treatment T6 recorded significantly higher growth parameters [plant height (59.7 cm) and dry matter accumulation (469.8 g/m2)] and yield attributes (number of pod/plant (27.4), pod length (8.8 cm) and number of seeds/pod (10.2)] of moong over other treatments but was found at par with T2, T3, T4 and T5 in 2020 and during 2021. Treatment T2 recorded significantly higher growth parameters [plant height (61.3 cm) and dry matter accumulation (478.9 g/m2)] and yield attributes (number of pod/ plant (30.2), pod length (8.9) and number of seeds/pod (10.3)] being at par with T1, T3, T4, T5 and T6 of moong over other treatments. Moreover, due to significant increase in yield attributes, treatment T6 and T2 exhibited significant increase in grain yield of about 62.32 and 62.96%, respectively over control in year 2020 and 2021, respectively.