Effect of Novel Sources of Nutrients, Their Dose and Mode of Application on Growth, Yield and Quality of Indian Mustard [brassica Juncea (L.) Czern & Coss]

Abstract

In order to evaluate the“Effect of Novel Sources of Nutrients, their Dose and Mode of Application on Growth, Yield and Quality of Indian Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss]” the investigation was carried out on well drained sandy clay loam soil, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and zinc and moderately alkaline in pH during 2020-21 at crop research centre of SVPUA&T, Meerut (U.P.) Novel nutrient sources and their modes of applications with 12 treatments consisting of control, basal application of recommended 100% NPK&S (120:40:40:20), 75% NPK&S (90:30:30:15) + NPK (18:18:18) 0.5% spray + NPK Consortia seed treatment (50 ml in 0.6 litre water 6 kg-1 seed) + Bio-stimulant (625 ml ha-1) + Nano N (4 ml l-1) + Nano Zn (10 ml l-1) in various combinations were attempted on mustard variety Pusa Vijay in RBD with three replications. The results of the study revealed that mustard grown with 75% NPK&S + Zn + Biostimulants + Nano N + Nano Zn spray attainted significantly better growth as reflected by taller plants (200.3cm), more no. of primary branches plant-1 (7.5), secondary branches (17.3), tertiary branches (4.2) higher dry matter accumulation g plant-1 (91.4), CGR (9.6 g m-2 day-1) and RGR (0.004 g g-1 day-1) recorded at harvest over RDF as also noticed by Prasad et al. (2013). Yield attributes and yields viz. no. of siliquae plant-1 (255.4), number of Seeds silique-1 (12.5), test weight (5.2 g), grain yield (22.4 q ha-1) and straw yield (102.5 q ha-1) were also higher in the crop as against respective value of 240.9, 12.2, 4.5, 18.6 & 69.2 with 100% NPK&S and 206.0, 12.1, 4.1, 13.0 & 55.6 with control. The crop contained 4.1% N, 0.72% P, 1.0% K, 0.40% S and 74.2 ppm Zn in grain and 0.52% N, 0.29% P, 1.62% K, 0.18% S and 65.3 ppm Zn in straw. Such crop accumulated 144.7 kg N, 45.6 kg P, 188.1 kg K, 30.3 kg S and 835.5 g Zn ha- 1. Application of 75% NPK&S with Nano N spray, Nano N spray + Nano Zn spray, NPK Consortia + Nano Zn spray, NPK (18:18:18) 0.5% spray, NPK (18:18:18) 0.5% spray + Bio-stimulants spray and Zn + Bio-stimulants spray + Nano N + Nano Zn spray worked synergistically and increased grain yields by 2.1, 4.3, 15.6, 0.5, 7.0 and 20.5% respectively over 100% NPK&S. Respective increase in oil yield was 17.2, 40.3, 123.7, 9.5, 57.6 and 156.4 kg ha-1over 100% NPK&S. Similar result was also put forward by Aziz et al. (2016). Nutrient use efficiency i.e. agronomic efficiency for N, P & K (10.4, 31.2 & 31.2 kg of grain in yield increase kg-1of nutrient applied), physiological efficiency for N, P & K (11.8, 56.0 & 13.0 kg of yield increase kg-1 of nutrient absorbed) and partial factor productivity for N, P & K (24.9, 74.6 & 74.6 kg of grain kg-1 of nutrient applied) was also better under treatment. Soil organic carbon (0.45 %), available N (155.3 kg ha-1), available P (20.9 kg ha-1), available K (130.8 kg ha-1), available S (14.7 kg ha-1) available Zn (0.81 mg kg-1), population of bacteria (0.77 No.×106 cfu g-1), fungi (0.64 No.×104 cfu g-1) & actinomycetes (0.59 No.×103 cfu g-1)) was also higher with the treatment. The crop required an investment of ₹ 37055 ha-1 and fetched net return of ₹95800 with B:C ratio of 3.6 with 100 % NPK&S + nano Zn spray. Similar trend was observed by Kumar et al. (2014). Thus, the mustard crop grown with application of 100 % NPK&S + nano Zn spray had attained better growth (plant height, no. of branches, dry matter accumulation, CGR, RGR, yield attributes (no. of siliquae, siliqua length, no. of seed silique-1, test weight) yield (grain, straw and biological), nutrient use efficiency, nutrient content and uptake, oil content and yield, fetched higher net returns with higher B:C ratio. Soil physico-chemical (bulk Name: Sandeep Kumar Verma Id. No.: 4812 Degree Programme: M. Sc. Year of Admission: 2019-20 Major: Agronomy Minor: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry Advisor. N. S. Rana Thesis Title: “Effect of Novel Sources of Nutrients, their Dose and Mode of Application on Growth, Yield and Quality of Indian Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss]” density, particle density, EC, pH, organic carbon, available nutrient N, P, K, S and Zn) and biological properties (bacteria, fungi & actinomycetes) were also better under the treatment.