Post on 12-May-2022
Reducing fertilizer requirement with the use of bio- fertilizers in summer pearl
millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.)]Y.C. LAKUM, S.H. PATEL AND P.V. MEHTA
ABSTRACTAn experiment was conducted in summer season during 2008 at Anand Agricultural University, Anand. The soil was loamy sand in
texture, low in organic carbon and available N, while medium in available P and high in available K. The treatment T7 (Azospirillum
+ 75% RDF +10 t ha-1) recorded significantly higher plant height (171.41 cm). Similarly the total (6.48 plant-1) and effective tillers (4.43
plant-1) as well as length of earhead (22.25 cm) recorded significantly higher under the same treatment. The highest grain (4584 kg
ha-1) and straw (10084 kg ha-1) yields were significantly registered under treatment T7. Similar to yield, the significantly highest N
and P uptake by grain (76.81, 28.9 kg ha-1, respectively) and N uptake by straw (34.09 kg ha-1) of pearl millet was observed under T7
while it was true under T2 in case of P uptake (29.67 kg ha-1) by pearl millet straw. The highest net realization (Rs. 23885) was noticed
due to 75% RDF + 10t FYM ha-1 including Azospirillum as bio-fertilizer application compared to net income of Rs. 21174 under
fertilizer application at 100% RDF + 10t FYM ha-1. It is indicating more benefit besides reduction of chemical load i.e. 30 kg N and 15
kg P ha-1 with the inclusion of bio-fertilizer.
Key words : Pearl millet, Bio-fertilizer, FYM
INTRODUCTION
Pearlmillet, being low in price mainly consumed by
middle and poor class families. It also occupies an
important place in daily diet of many classes of the people
in India, particularly in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh where it is
grown comparatively on large scale. The use of organic
manure not only supplies sufficient nutrient but also
improve soil physico chemical and biological properties
of soils. Moreover, release of many organic acids during
decomposition of FYM convert unavailable soil nutrients
into available form and thereby requirement of nutrients
can be reduced under medium to high available nutrient
status. At the same time, nitrogen and phosphorus are
becoming costlier day by day. Hence, there is a wide
scope for biological nitrogen fixation through N fixer bio-
agents, and use of phosphate solublizer bacteria. which
are cheaper source. Bio-fertilizers are the product
containing living cells of different types of microorganisms
having an ability to mobilize nutritional element from non-
usable to usable form through biological process. In an
era of escalating prices of inorganic fertilizers and poor
purchasing power of marginal and small farmers, it is
necessary to develop a stra tegy to use cheaper
combination of bio-fertilizers and proper dose of inorganic
fertilizers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An experiment was conducted in summer season
on pearl millet (var., GHB 558) during 2008 at Anand
Agricultural University, Anand. Full dose of phosphorus
(60 kg P2O
5 ha-1) and 50 per cent nitrogen (60 kg N ha-1)
Correspondence to :
Y.C. LAKUM, Micronutrient Project (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, ANAND (GUJARAT) INDIA
Authors’ affil iations:
S.H. PATEL, Agricultural Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Derol, PANCHAMAHAL (GUJARAT) INDIA
P.V. MEHTA, Micronutrient Project (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, ANAND (GUJARAT) INDIA
Lakum, Y.C. , Patel, S. H. and Mehta, P.V. (2011). Reducing fertilizer requirement with the use of bio- fertilizers in summer pearl
millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.)]. Asian J. Soil Sci., 6(1): 50-53.
An Asian Journal of Soil ScienceVol. 6 No. 1 (June, 2011) : 50-53
Research
PaperReceived : February, 2011; Revised : March, 2011; Accepted : April, 2011
•HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE•
[Asian J. Soil Sci., 6 (1); (June, 2011)]•HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE• [ 51 ]
were applied in furrows before transplanting. Remaining
50 per cent nitrogen (60 kg N ha-1) was applied in two
equal splits at an interval of 20-25 days after transplanting
during the seasons of experimentation.
The soil was loamy sand in texture, low in organic
carbon and available N, while medium in available P and
high in available K. Ten treatments of nutr ient
management viz., T1 (RDF), T2 (RDF + 10 t FYM ha-1),
T3 (Azospirillum + 50% RDF +10 t ha-1), T
4 (Azotobacter
+ 50% RDF+ 10 t FYM ha-1), T5 (VAM + 50% RDF +
10 t FYM ha-1), T6
(PSB + 50% RDF +10 t ha-1), T7
(Azospirillum + 75% RDF +10 t ha -1) and T8
(Azotobacter + 75% RDF+ 10 t FYM ha-1), T9 (VAM
+ 75% RDF + 10 t FYM ha-1) and T10
(PSB + 75% RDF
+10 t ha-1) were tested under Randomized Block Design
with four replications. For biofertilizer application under
different treatments, pearl millet seedlings were inoculated
with Azospirillum, Azotobacter and PSB each at 5 ml
L-1, while VAM was applied at the rate of 5 kg ha-1.
The initial physico-chemical properties of soil are given
in Table 1.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results obtained from the present investigation
are summarized below:
Growth and yield parameters:
The results showed significant effect on plant height,
number of total and effective tillers, length of earhead,
yield and uptake due to different treatments (Table 2).
The treatment T7 recorded significantly higher plant height
171.41 cm). Similarly the total (6.48 plant-1) and effective
tillers (4.43 plant-1) as well as length of earhead (22.25
cm) were recorded significantly higher under the same
treatment. This treatment proved superior because bio-
fertilizer improves the plant height due to the production
Table 1: Initial physico-chemical properties of the soil
Sr.
No Characteristics Value
1. pH (1:2.5), Jackson (1973) 7.7
2. EC, dSm-1 (1:2.5), Jackson (1973) 0.14
3. Organic carbon (g kg-1), Jackson (1973) 0.22
4. Av. N kg ha-1, KMnO4 method, Subbiah and
Asija (1956)
185
5. NaHCO3 extractable P, P2O5 kg ha-1, Olsen et
al. (1954)
44.40
6. Available K2O kg ha-1, Flame photometric
method (Jackson, 1973)
353.8
Y.C. LAKUM, S.H. PATEL AND P.V. MEHTA
•HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE• [ 52 ] [Asian J. Soil Sci., 6 (1); (June, 2011)]
of various growth regulating substances such as indoles,
gibberellins and cytokinins. This contributes toward
vigorous growth of plant. The other reason might be
application of both bio-fertilizers, Azospirillum and
Azotobacter together supplied extra nutrients to the crop
as compared to their individual inoculation. These results
are in close conformity with those of Venkateswarlu and
Rao (1983); Raghuwanshi et al. (1997) and Guggari and
Kalaghatagi (2005)
The highest grain (4584 kg ha-1) and straw (10084
kg ha-1) yields were significantly registered under
treatment T7. The increase in yield might be due to the
fact that phytohormones produced by the bio-fertilizers
stimulated root growth and induced changes in root
morphology, which in turn affected the assimilation of the
nutrients (Sumner, 1990). The increased production could
be ascribed to bio-fertilizers viz., Azospirillum and
Azotobacter, which fix atmosphere nitrogen and available
to plants. As nitrogen is a constitute of protein and
chlorophyll it plays vital role in photosynthesis. These
finding support those of Rathore et al. (2006) and
Sonawane et al. (2007).
Nutrient uptake and net return:
Similar to yield, the significantly highest N and P
uptake by grain (76.81, 28.9 kg ha-1) and N uptake by
straw (34.09 kg ha-1) of pearl millet was observed under
T7 while it was true under T
2 in case of P uptake (29.67
kg ha-1) by pearl millet straw (Table 2).
The highest net realization (Rs. 23885) was noticed
due to 75% RDF + 10t FYM ha-1 including Azospirillum
as bio-fertilizer application compared to net income of
Rs. 21174 under fertilizer application at 100% RDF + 10t
FYM ha-1. It is indicating more benefit besides reduction
of chemical load i.e. 30 kg N and 15 kg P ha-1 with the
inclusion of bio-fertilizer (Table 3).
Conclusion:
In the light of results obtained from present
investigation it is concluded that for getting quantitative,
qualitative and economical yield of summer bajra; the
seedling of bajra (GHB -558) should be inoculated by
root dipping of Azospirillum for 20 minutes and the crop
should be fertilized with 75% RDF i.e. 90 kg N and 45 kg
P2O
5 coupled with 10 t FYM grown on sandy loam soil
of middle Gujarat. This particular treatment will give higher
yield and monetary realization with a saving of 25% of
the N and P requirements i.e. 30 kg N and 15 kg P2O
5 in
fertilization as compare to recommended dose of fertilizer
i.e. 120 kg N and 60 kg P2O
5.
REDUCING FERTILIZER REQUIREMENT WITH THE USE OF BIO- FERTILIZERS IN SUMMER PEARL MILLET
[Asian J. Soil Sci., 6 (1); (June, 2011)]•HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE• [ 53 ]
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Y.C. LAKUM, S.H. PATEL AND P.V. MEHTA