Phosphorous and Mung Bean Residue Incorporation Improve Soil Fertility and Crop Productivity in Sorghum and Mungbean-Lentil Cropping System

ABSTRACT

In sorghum and mungbean – lentil cropping system, field experiments were conducted for three successive years to assess the effect of mung bean residue incorporation on sorghum and succeeding lentil productivity along with different doses of phosphorus (P; 0, 30, 60 kg ha^{− 1}) applied to these crops. The level of soil fertility was also tested with or without incorporation of mung bean residue. The interaction of phosphorus to mungbean residue incorporation was thus studied in relation to improve crop productivity with balancing fertilizer requirements through an eco-friendly approach. Sorghum grain yield increased significantly when 60 kg P₂O₅ ha^{− 1} was applied and mungbean residue incorporated. The response was reduced to 30 kg P₂O₅ ha^{− 1} when mungbean residue was not incorporated. The succeeding lentil crop responded up to 60 kg P₂O₅ ha^{− 1} only when preceding sorghum crop received 0 or 30 kg P₂O₅ ha^{− 1}. Response to applied P₂O₅ to lentil reduced to 30 kg ha^{− 1} when preceding sorghum crop received 60 kg P₂O₅ ha^{− 1} and mungbean residue incorporated. Available soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon content increased when mungbean residue was incorporated; however, available potassium (K) of the soil decreased from its initial value.

Keywords:

• grain yield
• mungbean residue incorporation phosphorus
• phosphorus
• potassium
• organic carbon content
• soil nitrogen
• sorghum – lentil cropping system

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

K.K.S. thanks to Dr. P.S. Basu for his suggestion and making of graphs during the preparation of this paper.