System based nutrient management for maize and groundnut cropping sequences

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at farmer s field, Nulugummanahalli, Gauribidnur taluk located in Eastern Dry Zone of newlineKarnataka from 2010 to 2012 to study the system based nutrient management for maize and groundnut cropping sequences. Soils of the experimental sites were sandy loam. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with eight treatments replicated thrice. In maize based cropping sequences, plots receiving nutrients newlinethrough SSNM approach recorded higher total maize equivalent yield (177.8 q ha-1) with higher nutrients uptake, soil available nutrients, soil microbial population, net returns (` 1,13,819 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.71) in maize-sunflower cropping sequence as compared to all the other treatments. Whereas, soil test based NPK recommendation (+ 25 % NPK under medium soil fertility) recorded higher total maize equivalent yield newline(140.8 q ha-1), net returns (` 84,099 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.43) in maizegroundnut newlinecropping sequence as compared to all the other treatments. In groundnut based cropping sequences, soil test based NPK recommendation (+ 25 % NPK under medium soil fertility) was an effective nutrient management practice to achieve higher total groundnut equivalent yield (49.5 q ha-1 and 47.2 q ha-1, respectively), net returns (` 91,368 ha-1 and ` 94,783 ha-1, respectively) with higher B:C ratio (2.49 and 2.64, respectively) in groundnut-sunflower and groundnut-maize newlinecropping sequences inspite of higher groundnut equivalent yield of sunflower or maize achieved through SSNM approach. Thus it is concluded that adoption of SSNM approach for cropping sequence involving newlineexhaustive crops and soil test based NPK recommendation (+ 25 % NPK under medium soil fertility) for legume based cropping sequences were found to be effective nutrient management practices in getting higher newlinecrop productivity and B:C ratio.