Effect of integrated nutrient management on Bt cotton and post harvest soil fertility under dry farming agriculture

Abstract

The present study pertains to the effect of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) techniques on seed cotton yield, economics and soil physico-chemical properties under rainfed condition. The 10 different treatments combinations comprising of organic and inorganic fertilizers (NPK), gypsum, castor cake, compost and vermi-compost were studied. The experimental result showed that the significantly highest seed cotton yield and highest net return were recorded under treatment T9 (80 kg ha-1 + 10 t compost ha-1 +500 kg castor cake ha-1+ bio-fertilizer-Azotobacter+ PSM). The effect of different treatments on EC, organic carbon, available phosphorus and potash and sulphur status in the soil were found significant and the maximum availability of most of the micronutrients were recorded on account of application of compost at 10 t ha-1 + vermi compost at 1 t ha-1 + castor cake at 500 kg ha-1 + bio-fertilizer (Azotobacter+PSM). Bulk density of soil was found to reduced due to application of organic alone (i.e., compost at 10 t ha-1, compost at 10 t ha-1 +vermi compost at 1 t ha-1 + castor cake at 500 kg ha-1 + bio-fertilizer (Azotobacter+PSM) or integration of organic and inorganic sources of nutrient (N at 80 kg ha-1 +castor cake 500 at kg ha-1 and N at 80 kg ha-1 +compost at 10 t ha-1 +castor cake at 500 kg ha-1 +bio-fertilizer.