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Long term effect of organic sources of nutrients on productivity and soil health in maize+soybean—wheat+gram cropping system

Jiwan Prakash Saini, J.P. Saini and Rameshwar Kumar, Rameshwar (2014) Long term effect of organic sources of nutrients on productivity and soil health in maize+soybean—wheat+gram cropping system. In: Rahmann, G. and Aksoy, U. (Eds.) Building Organic Bridges, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Braunschweig, Germany, 2, Thuenen Report, no. 20, pp. 611-614.

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Summary

Organic farming has emerged as an important priority area globally in view of growing demand for safe and healthy food which provides health and environmental benefits. The long term sustainability and concerns on environmental pollution associated with indiscriminate use of agrochemicals calls for use of organic farming practices in agriculture for maintaining soil health and crop productivity. Over the past few decades, increasing attention has been given to intercropping particularly in organic agricultural systems and the evidence suggests that this can provide production advantages over sole crops in the absence of increased external inputs due to more efficient utilization of resources. Component crops in intercropping may differ in their use of growth resources over time and space such that when grown together they make more efficient use of light, water and nutrients than when grown separately.
Therefore, to study the effect of different composts on the productivity of crops and soil health in terms of nutrient and microbial status in maize/maize + soybean-wheat + gram cropping system, a long term field experiment was conducted at Model Organic Farm of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur (H.P.), India w.e.f. 2006-07 to 2011-12. The treatments consisted of FYM 20 t/ha, vermicompost (VC) 15 t/ha, Him compost (HC) 5 t/ha, FYM+HC (10+2 t/ha), vermicompost + HC (10+1t/ha), FYM + vermicompost (10+10 t/ha) and control (FYM 5 t/ha) from 2006-07 to 2008-09, however, the doses of composts were reduced after 3rd year of experimentation and the treatments were slightly modified as FYM 15 t/ha, VC 10 t/ha, HC 5 t/ha, FYM + HC (7.5+2.5 t/ha), VC + HC (5.0+2.5 t/ha), FYM + VC (7.5+5.0 t/ha) and Control (FYM 5t/ha). After third year of experimentation maize + soybean was taken in place of maize in kharif season. Whereas, in rabi season wheat + gram continued as such.
In general, for the first three years of study i.e. w.e.f. 2006-07 to 2008-09 the yield levels of maize were not increased, however, after third year of study i.e. from 2009 to 2011 the yield levels were improved because of improvement of the fertility and microbial status of the soil. Similarly, in wheat also the yield levels during the first two years i.e. 2006-07 and 2007-08 were low and almost same but there after an impressive increase in yield levels of wheat was obtained till 2011-12 due to continuous increase in fertility levels of the soil. The treatment effects on yield contributing characters of maize and wheat were significant which ultimately increased the grain yields significantly over the control during all the years of experimentation. Irrespective of the doses of different composts, FYM + HC, VC + HC and FYM + VC being at par with each other produced higher values of almost all the yield attributes both of maize and wheat which ultimately resulted in significantly higher maize and wheat equivalent yields over the remaining treatments i.e. FYM, Vermicompost and Him compost when applied alone during all the years of study. The nutrient status (organic carbon (%), available nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium) and microbial status (Total count, N-fixers, P-solubilizers, fungus & actinomycetes) were improved tremendously in six years of study (2006-07 to 2011-12) as compared to the initial status.
*Corresponding Author: Dr. J.P. Saini, Professor & Head, Department of Organic Agriculture, CSKHPKV,Palampur,(H.P.) 176062-India.
Contact No. +91 98160 29019 TeleFax: +91-1894-230402, E-mail: drjpsaini@gmail.com


EPrint Type:Conference paper, poster, etc.
Type of presentation:Paper
Keywords:Organic, Agriculture, Vermicompost, Himcompost, Soil fertility, Agrochemicals
Subjects: Crop husbandry > Composting and manuring
Research affiliation: International Conferences > 2014: 18th IFOAM OWC Scientific Track: 4th ISOFAR Scientific Conference
ISBN:978-3-86576-128-6
DOI:urn:nbn:de:gbv:253-201407-dn053621-
Deposited By: jiwan, J.P. SAINI
ID Code:23210
Deposited On:16 Oct 2014 08:13
Last Modified:16 Oct 2014 08:13
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted
Additional Publishing Information:urn:nbn:de:gbv:253-201407-dn053621-1

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