Effect of 22-Year-L​ong Conjunctive Use of Organic and Chemical Sources of Nutrients on Crop Yield, Soil Properties, and Nutrient Balance in Post-Monsoon Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Peninsular Vertisols of India

ABSTRACT

A long-term field experiment was conducted in Vertisols of Solapur (Maharashtra, India) to assess the effect of the integrated use of nutrients on yield, soil properties, and nutrient balance in post-monsoon sorghum. The highest crop yield (1.19 Mg ha⁻¹) and available nutrients (308, 14.9, and 814 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), respectively) were recorded in the treatment of 25 kg N sorghum crop residue (CR) + 25 kg N Leucaena clippings (LCs), 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (urea), 25 kg N farmyard manure + 25 kg N (urea), and 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (LC), respectively. Most of the nutrients were depleted except K and Ca. The response ratio for N (16 kg kg⁻¹) and partial factor productivity (33 kg kg⁻¹) were considerably higher in the 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (LC) treatment. Conjunctive use of organic ​and chemical fertilizers helped in reducing the nutrient losses and improved their use efficiency and yield sustainability.

KEYWORDS:

• Integrated nutrient management
• nutrient buildup/depletion
• rainfed
• soil fertility

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, for funding the project.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.