Effect of Integrated weed management practices on performance of Green gram (Vigna radiata L.) and associated weeds

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Nano Fertilizer Mediated Approaches for Nutrient Management in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Typic Ustochrept Soils of Western Uttar Pradesh” was carried out at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, (U.P), India during Rabi season 2021-22. The soil of the experimental field was well drained sandy clay loam soil, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus, potassium and zinc and moderately alkaline in pH during 2021-22 at crop research centre of SVPUA&T, Meerut (U.P.). Novel nutrient sources and their modes of applications with 14 treatments comprising of control, basal application of recommended 100% NPK (150:75:60), 75% NPK (112.5:56.25:45) + NPK Consortia seed treatment (250 ml in 3 litre water 60 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 wheat variety HD 2967 in Randomised Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The results of the study revealed that wheat grown with 100 % NPK + Nano Zn spray attainted significantly better growth as reflected by taller plants (108.9 cm), more no. of tillers m-1 row length (68.3), higher dry matter accumulation g m-2 (1187.2), Leaf area Index (4.63), CGR (5.10 g m-2 day-1) RGR (0.00101 g g-1 day-1) and days to 50 percent earing (87.5) and maturity (130.6) recorded at harvest over RDF as also noticed by Mehta (2017). Yield attributes and yields viz., effective tillers m-2 (303.7), number of grains spike-1 (48.2), test weight (39.2 g), grain yield (53.8 q ha-1) and straw yield (71.3 q ha-1) were also higher in the crop as against respective value of 287.3, 46.5, 38.1, 48.4 & 65.7 with 100% NPK and 223.0, 36.1, 32.5, 27.6 & 46.7 with control. The crop contained 2.2% N, 0.26% P, 0.58% K and 54.8 ppm Zn in grain and 0.62% N, 0.13% P, 1.22% K and 34.1 ppm Zn in straw. Such crop accumulated 162.6 kg N, 23.3 kg P, 118.2 kg K and 538.0 g Zn ha-1. Application of 75% NPK with NPK Consortia + NPK + Bio-stimulant + Nano Zn spray was recorded 7.8 % higher yield and 132.5 kg ha-1 higher protein yield over 100% NPK and with NPK Consortia + Nano N + Nano Zn spray, NPK Consortia + NPK + Bio-stimulant spray, NPK Consortia + NPK spray and NPK Consortia + Nano Zn spray worked synergistically in increasing grain yields and protein yields compared to 100% NPK. Similar result was also put forward by Sharma et al. (2015). Nutrient use efficiency i.e., agronomic efficiency for N, P & K (17.5, 34.9 & 43.7 kg of grain in yield increase kg-1of nutrient applied), physiological efficiency for N, P & K (22.2, 144.0 & 35.5 kg of yield increase kg-1 of nutrient absorbed) and partial factor productivity for N, P & K (35.9, 71.7 & 89.7 kg of grain kg-1 of nutrient applied) was also better under treatment. Soil organic carbon (0.51 %), available N (186.0 kg ha-1), available P (21.4 kg ha-1), available K (131.1 kg ha-1), available Zn (0.85 mg kg-1), population of bacteria (0.77 No.×106 cfu g-1), fungi (0.65 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 ₹ 48946 ha-1 and fetched net return of ₹77286 with B:C ratio of 2.58 with 100 % NPK + Nano Zn spray. Similar trend was observed by Kumar et al. (2014). Thus, the wheat crop grown with application of 100 % NPK + Nano Zn spray had attained better growth parameters (plant height, no. of tiller, dry matter accumulation, CGR, RGR), yield attributes (effective tillers, ear length, spikelets per spike, grains per spike, test weight), yield (grain, straw and biological), nutrient use efficiency, nutrient content, nutrient uptake, protein content, protein yield and fetched higher net returns with higher B:C ratio. Soil physico-chemical (bulk density, particle density, aggregate stability, EC, pH, organic carbon), available nutrient N, P, K and Zn) and biological properties (bacteria, fungi & actinomycetes).