Yield maximisation in groundnut - horse gram cropping sequence in rainfed red soils of Dharmapuri district

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in groundnut - horse gram cropping sequence consecutively for two years. Composted coir pith (CCP), Tank silt (TS), Soil test based NPK and micronutrient (MN) mixture increased the yield of groundnut as well as horse gram besides improving the post harvest soil available NPK status. In groundnut the highest mean pod yield of 1875 Kg ha' (1993-94) and 1860 Kg ha (1994-95) were registered by the application of soil test based NPK along with MN mixture @ 12.5 kg ha which were 72.9 and 37.0 per cent increase over control. In horse gram the maximum mean gain yield of 993 kg ha¹ (1993-94) and 350 kg ha¹ (1994-95) were recorded by the combined application of Composted Coir Pith and Tank silt. The inorganic treatments recorded 18 and 30 per cent increase in yield over control during 1993-94 and 1994-95 respectively. Among the interaction of organic and inorganic treatments, application of Composted Coir Pith+ Soil test based NPK + MN mixture or Tank silt + soil test based NPK showed its superiority.