Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges & Opportunities
during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T4-16P-162841
Influence of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Properties, Crop Yields
and Water Use Efficiency in Rainfed Maize-Wheat Rotation
Mohammad Amin Bhat, M.J. Singh, Anil Khokhar, Abrar Yousuf,
Parminder Singh Sandhu and Balwinder Singh Dhillon
Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar, Punjab-
144521
Nutrient management is imperative to increase productivity of maize-wheat system, a prominent
multiple cropping system operational in dryland areas of the northwest India. The productivity of
maize and wheat not only depends on adequate nutrition but also the appropriate nutrient
management approaches. Nevertheless, the farming systems practiced in India are exploitative in
character making it difficult to maintain soil fertility and affecting long-term viability of
agriculture (Ghosh et al 2021). Nitrogen is the essential element, the deficiency of which restricts
crop production. Chemical fertilizers are the predominant source of nitrogen in agricultural
production systems. No doubt, inorganic fertilization substantially augments crop yield; but, the
supply of nutrients solely through synthetic fertilizers does not fulfill the complete nutrient
demand of the crops (Khokhar et al 2022). The sustained and prudent use of manures improves
physico-chemical characteristics of all soils, especially those having shallow profile depth,
coarse-texture and lower content of organic matter, and reduces the risk of soil and water quality
degradation (Amoah et al 2012). The regular addition of organic manures is frequently
recommended in India to maintain soil fertility, although its usage is rapidly declining due to
farm mechanization, greater use of inorganic fertilizers, and a reduction in the size of livestock.
However, the commercial fertilizers are becoming increasingly expensive, therefore, organic
manures, like FYM, continue to be an appropriate substitute to commercial fertilizers. Therefore,
this study was intended to evaluate the effect of INM on soil properties, crop yields and water
use efficiency under rainfed conditions.
Methodology
The study was conducted in an on-going 5-year-old experiment started in 2017 at Regional
Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri. The study area lies in
subhumid subtropical climate having hot summers and cold winters. The experiment on maizewheat
system has a combination of FYM and fertilizer treatments. The plots, 43.2m 2 (5.4m ×
8m) in size, were replicated thrice in randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments
of synthetic fertilizers and FYM compared. Farmyard manure was incorporated into the soil
476 | Page Sustainable soil management for resilient rainfed agro-ecosystem: conservation agriculture, organic farming, INM, soilmicroorganisms-plant
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