Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS LEVELS AND PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA ON GREENGRAM (VIGNA RADIATA) VARIETIES UNDER STONE APPLE (AEGLE MARMELOS) BASED AGRI-HORTI SYSTEM

D.K. Singh, J.S. Bohra2, J.K. Singh, Y.V. Singh, S.P. Vishwakarma and Ajeet Singh

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of phosphorus levels and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on greengram (Vigna radiata L.) varieties under stone apple (Agele marmelos L.) based agri-horti system” was studied during the rainy (kharif) season of 2016 at Agricultural Research Farm, R.G.S.C. (BHU), Barakachha, Mirzapur (U. P.). The experiment was conducted in 9-year old stone apple orchard planted in 7x7 meters spacing. The field experiment was laid out in split plot design with stone apple based agri-horti system. The main plot treatment comprised three phosphorus levels (20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 /ha) whereas two greengram varieties (‘SML-668’ and ‘HUM-16’) and biofertilizer PSB were used in sub-plot. Treatments were replicated thrice. Results revealed that the increasing levels of phosphorus up to 60 kg P2O5/ha gave higher growth parameters, yield attributes, yields, economics viz., cost of cultivation (57.65x103/ ha), net return (84.65x103/ ha) and benefit: cost (1.48) and nutrient uptake. Furthermore, the variety ‘HUM-16’ found superior over ‘SML 668’ in terms of yield attributers and yield. Moreover, the seed treatment with PSB recorded higher growth characters, plant height (cm), dry matter accumulation (g/plant), trifoliate leaves, branches/ plant and root nodules/ plant as well as yield and yield attributes, pods /plant, grains/ pod, 1000-grain weight and grain yield, stover yield, nutrient uptake and economics. Among rates of phosphorus, application of 60 kg P2O5/ ha, to greengram was found optimum to realize the high yield and profit under stone apple based agri-horti system. The greengram variety ‘HUM-16’ was found highly productive and remunerative as compared to ‘SML-668’ under agro climatic conditions of Vindhyan region of Mirzapur. Seed inoculation with PSB markedly enhanced the yield and net return of greengram as compared to the control under stone apple based agri-horti system.