Production potential, economics and soil fertility status of blackgram (Phaseolus mungo) as influenced by integrated nutrient supply system

Abstract

A fixed plot field experiment was conducted during two consecutive years (2010-12) at Farm Research, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, to find out the suitable integrated nutrient supply (INS) practice for improving the soil health, yield and profitability of blackgram in Eastern Indo Gangatic plain zone of India. The results indicated that significantly higher grain (948 and 971 kg ha-1), stover (2433 and 2525 kg ha-1), biological (3381and 3496 kg ha-1) yields of blackgram were observed with the application of soil test based NPK+10 t FYM ha-1 + Rhizobium + 30 kg S ha-1 + 1 kg Mo ha-1 over rest of the treatments.With regards to soil fertility after crop harvest, soil test based application of NPK + 10 t FYM ha-1 + Rhizobium + 30 kg S ha- 1+ 1 kg Mo ha-1 resulted in the highest soil available N (223 and 228 kg ha-1), P (21.17 and 22 kg ha-1), K (244 and 247.60 kg ha-1), S (19 and 19.78 kg ha-1) and Mo (0.30 and 0.33 mg kg-1) over other INM treatments. Similarly, soil test based application of NPK + 10 t FYM ha-1 + Rhizobium + 30 kg S ha- 1+ 1 kg Mo ha-1 recorded maximum gross returns (Rs.38584 and 50576 ha-1), net returns (Rs.20624.52 and 32415.09 ha-1) and benefit: cost ratio (2.15 and 2.78) over other nutritional treatments. Hence, study suggested that grower should follow soil test based application of NPK along with 10 t FYM ha-1 + Rhizobium + 30 kg S ha- 1+ 1 kg Mo ha-1 for fetching higher profitability from black gram cultivation in Eastern part of Indo Gangatic plains.