Vol. 11, Special Issue 3 (2022)

Author(s):
Meenakhi Prusty, Debashish Swain, MA Alim and Monika Ray

Abstract:
Judicious use of plant nutrients is a key for higher productivity and sustainability. Though increased use of inorganic fertilizers improved the levels of production but later it may lead to deterioration in soil health besides pollution problems. So in addition to agricultural productivity maintaining and improving soil quality is very crucial for sustainable agriculture. Therefore, integrated nutrient management including appropriate fertilizers application combined with organic manures, biofertilizers has developed not only to meet the growing need for nutrients under intensive cultivation but also helps in maintaining good physico-chemical characteristics and fertility of soils. So a study was conducted on Integrated Nutrient Management in sweet corn and its residual effect on green gram in Mid- Central Table Land Zone of Odisha. Experimental results revealed that integrated application of STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg /ha + ZnSo₄ @25 kg/ha +Bio fertilizer (Consortia@ 12 kg /ha) significantly augmented the sweet corn yield attributes along with sweet corn (2.37 t/ha) and green forage (29.85 t/ ha) yield. The conjunctive use of STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg /ha + ZnSo₄ @25 kg/ha +Bio fertilizer (Consortia@ 12 kg /ha) applied to preceding sweet corn recorded the maximum seed yield (920 kg/ha) in green gram which was at par with residual effect of STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Bio fertilizer (Consortia @ 12 kg /ha). The system yield was enhanced with application of STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg /ha + ZnSo₄ @25 kg/ha +Bio fertilizer (Consortia@ 12 kg /ha) applied to sweet corn producing highest yield (8.9 t/ha) followed by STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Bio fertilizer (Consortia @ 12 kg /ha). Application of STD (NPK) +FYM @ 5 t/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg /ha + ZnSo₄ @25 kg/ha +Bio fertilizer (Consortia@ 12 kg /ha) registered the highest net return (` Rs. 1,98,400/ha) and benefit cost ratio (3.10) in sweet corn- green gram system when green gram was grown under residual fertility condition. The post-harvest soil properties were also found to be improved in the same treatment after harvest of green gram.