A Comparative Study of the Effects of Biofertilizers and Chemical Fertilizers on Soil Physical and Biological Properties under Chickpea Crop (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of solid biofertilizers and organic ameliorants on soil biological properties and chickpea yield. The experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm of ANDUA&T Ayodhya India during the Rabi season of 2020-2021. The experiment was comprised of eleven treatments, control (T1); (T2); chemical fertilizers 100% RDF; (T3)chemical fertilizers 50% RDF (T4); FYM +Jeevamrit (T5); Agro residue Mulch + FYM + Jeevamrit (T6); Rhizobium +PSB (T7); FYM + Jeevamrit + Rhizobium +PSB (T8); T3 + FYM + Jeevamrit T9; T3 + T5, T10; T3 + T6, T11; T3 + T4 + T6, were replicated thrice in RBD. Chickpea variety KPG-59 was taken as test crop. The results showed that the application of solid biofertilizers and organic ameliorants with chemical fertilizer significantly improved some soil biological properties. The treatments that included FYM and Rhizobium + PSB showed the greatest improvements in soil health as well as chickpea yield. Soil properties as EC, OC and OM were found to be significant while physical property were non-significant.