Potassium fractions in black soil mediated by integrated nutrient management modules under maize-chickpea cropping sequence

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal (India) to study influence of different integrated nutrient management (INM) modules on soil potassium (K) fractions. The experiment comprised with twelve treatments laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications under maize-chickpea cropping sequence. The treatments included general recommended dose (GRD), soil test crop response (STCR) dose; combinations of inorganic and organic inputs and only organic modules. The soil samples were collected at crop harvest and analyzed for various K fractions viz., water soluble-K, available-K, exchangeable-K, HNO3-K, lattice-K and total-K. The results indicated that potassium fractions were significantly (p = 0.05) affected by different treatments. Different INM modules significantly enhanced significantly K availability in soil. Among various INM modules studied, treatment 11 (application of 20 t ha-1 FYM in maize with 5 t ha-1 FYM every year in chickpea) proved most beneficial for improving the soil K fractions. Findings of this type are important for K fertilizer management during crop production in areas with low soil fertility.

Impact of sequential herbicides application on crop productivity, weed and nutrient dynamics in soybean under conservation agriculture in Vertisols of Central India

Adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) is very slow due to weed infestations. The application of herbicides is the only viable option to deal with problem of weed management to adhere with basic principles of CA. A field experiment was carried out for three years to evaluate the expediency of different herbicides and their sequential applications under CA. In this study, seven treatments comprised of either alone or sequential application of pre-emergence (PE) and post-emergence (PoE) herbicides, hand weeding and weedy check were tested in soybean. Result indicated that sequential application of glyphosate at 1 kg ai ha-1 + pendimethalin at 1 kg ai ha-1as PE followed by PoE application of imazethapyr at 100 g ai ha-1 at 30 days after sowing (DAS) proved to be the best economical option in terms of plant growth parameters, crop biomass, seed yield, weed index and carbon and nutrient recycling. Pearson's correlation coefficients matrix revealed that grain yield was significantly (P<0.0001) related to weed density at harvest (r = -0.84), (WDH) (r = -0.63), weed dry biomass (WDB) (r = -0.52), weed nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake (r = -0.56, r = -0.59 and r = -0.66), respectively and weed index (WI) (r = -0.96). The bivariate linear regression study of grain yield on weed control efficiency (WCI) biomass, N, P and K uptake by grain showed a clear significant (P<0.0001) dependence with R2 value of 0.53, 0.99, 0.95 and 0.98, respectively. The fitted stepwise multiple regression model also revealed that N and P uptake in grain, weed density at 20 DAS and K uptake in weed were actual predictor for grain yield. We concluded that, effective and economical weed control under CA in soybean can be achieved through sequential application of glyphosate along with pendimethalin at 1 kg ai ha-1 each PE followed by PoE use of imazethapyr at 100 g ai ha-1 at 30 DAS.

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in Vertisol as mediated by type and placement method of residue

Selection of appropriate residue application method is essential for better use of biomass for soil and environmental health improvement. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted for 75 days to investigate C and N mineralization of residues of soybean (Glycine max L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) placed on the soil surface and incorporated into the soil. The residue of soybean and chickpea had a greater decomposition rate than that of maize and wheat, despite of their placements. Higher rate of decomposition of the residue of soybean and chickpea was recorded when it was kept on the soil surface while soil incorporation of residue of wheat and maize resulted in faster decomposition. Therefore, these findings could be used as guidelines for management of crop residue application in farmland to improve soil and environmental quality.