Effect of Planting Methods and Biofertilizers on the Performance of Green Gram (Vigna Radiata L.)

Abstract

The field experiment entitled “Effect of planting methods and biofertilizers on the performance of green gram (Vigna radiata L.)” was carried out at Crop Research Center, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Modipuram, Meerut-250110 (U.P.), India., during summer, 2018. The soil of the experimental field was well drained, sandy loam in texture and slightly alkaline in reaction. It was low in organic carbon, low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium, respectively. Total Eighteen treatment combinations comprised of three levels of planting methods (P1: Flat bed, P2: Narrow raised bed and P3: Wide raised bed) in main plot and six levels of biofertilizers (T1: Control, T2: Rhizobium + PSB, T3: Mycorrhiza, T4: Rhizobium + Mycorrhiza, T5: PSB + Mycorrhiza, T6: Rhizobium + PSB + Mycorrhiza) in sub plot were treated in split plot design with three replications. The results revealed that plant population, growth, yield attributes and yields of green gram as influenced by planting method treatments. Wide raised bed (P3) treatment of planting method was significantly improved most of the growth parameters like plant height (at 25 and 50 DAS and at harvest) and number of trifoliate leaves/plant, number of branches/plant, number of nodules/plant, dry weight of nodules/plant and yield attributes viz., number of pods/plant, number of grains/pod and grain weight/plant followed by narrow raised bed sowing treatment (P2). In the same way, grain yield (11.84 q/ha), straw yield (31.14 q/ha), biological yield (43.01 q/ha) and harvest index (27.88 %) of green gram were remarkably increased under treatment P3, but it remained statistically at par with treatment P2. Different biofertilizer treatments also showed discernible influence on plant stand, growth and yield parameters of green gram viz., plant height at 25, 50 DAS and at harvest, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, number of grains/pod and grain weight/plant. All the above attributes were found remarkably higher under the application of T6 followed by T2. Similarly, application of T6 significantly increased grain, straw and biological yields as well as harvest index of green gram as compared to treatment T1.On the basis of analysis, plant population at initial as well as at harvest, plant height, days to 50 per cent flowering, number of branches/plant and 1000-grain weight of green gram were not affected significantly due to interactive effect of A × B. However, positive interaction was observed between planting methods and biofertilizer treatments with respect to number of pods/plant, number of grains/pod, grain weight/plant and grain, straw and biological yields. Sowing of green gram on P3 along with Rhizobium + PSB + Mycorrhiza (T6) turned out to be significantly superior for grain yield over rest of the treatment combinations.P3 sowing treatment significantly increased protein yield as well as nutrients i.e., N, P and K uptake by green gram crop over flat bed sowing (P1), but it was statistically at par with raised bed sowing (P2) while, protein content in grain did not influence significantly due to planting methods treatments. Significantly, the highest protein content in grain, protein yield, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake by green gram crop were recorded under application of Rhizobium + PSB + Mycorrhiza (T6) . On the other hand, uptake of N, P and K in straw by green gram were not affected significantly due to interaction effect of A x B. Planting method treatments failed to produce significant effect on organic carbon. However the application of P3 and T6 was appreciably improved the organic carbon. Likewise, treatment T6 significantly improved the available nitrogen and phosphorus status of soil followed by treatment T2. While, available potassium in soil remained unaffected due to biofertilizer treatments but, numerically higher in treatment T6. All the physico-chemical properties of soil did not influence significantly due to interaction effect of AxB. Sowing of green gram on P3 obtained the highest gross returns (₹ 70958 ha), highest net returns (₹ 45481 ha) with BCR value of (2.7) followed by Narrow raised bed method (P2), whereas, the lowest gross returns (₹ 58148 ha), lowest net returns (₹ 33871 ha) and BCR (2.4) were noted under flat bed sowing treatment (P1).In the same way, the lowest gross returns (₹ 53704 ha), lowest net returns (₹ 28816/ha) with BCR (2.1) was noticed under treatment T1 [control] and the highest gross returns (₹ 74781 ha), highest net returns (₹ 49534 ha) with BCR (2.9) were registered under treatment T6 followed by treatment T2. Thus, it can be concluded from the results of present investigation that to obtain economical yield of green gram (cv. Pant mung 5) and sustain soil health, the crop should be grown by adopting wide raised bed method (P3) along with biofertilizer combinations @ Rhizobium + PSB or Rhizobium + PSB + Mycorrhiza under well drained, sandy loam alkaline soils of western U.P. (