Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges & Opportunities
during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
increasing prices of fertilizers made it necessary to minimize the expenses on fertilizers by using
alternative sources like farmyard manure, crop residues, and green manuring along with reduced
tillage practices for sustaining the crop yields and soil fertility. These practices not only increase
crop yield but also improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. When
integrated nutrient management through chemical fertilizers and different organic sources is
applied on a long-term basis, they show a beneficial impact on soil quality (Swarup 2010). As
the availability of FYM is scarce and it becomes necessary to find out suitable alternative
sources in the form of organic, the present study was carried out to assess the partial substitution
of gliricidia green manuring, crop residues, and FYM under conservation and conventional
tillage on cotton productivity, profitability, and soil quality in Vertisols.
Methodology
The present study was conducted at the research farm of the Department of Soil Science and
Agril. Chemistry, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during 2011-12 to 15-16
to assess the integrated effect of tillage practices, organic sources, and chemical fertilizers on
productivity, the profitability of rainfed cotton and fertility of Vertisol. The experiment
comprised eight treatments including 100 % recommended dose of fertilizers (60:30:30 NPK kg
ha -1 ) and the various combinations integrating 50 and 25% N through FYM, wheat straw,
gliricidia green leaf manuring, and compensation of RDF to cotton. The experiment was laid out
in randomized block design with two sets of conditions namely, conservation and conventional
tillage replicated thrice. The experimental soil was clay in texture, deep to very deep, and
classified as Typic Haplusterts (Vertisol), moderately alkaline in reaction, low in available N,
medium in P, and high in available potassium.
Results
The pooled results revealed that the application of 50 % N through FYM + compensation of RDF
through chemical fertilizers recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield (13.54 q ha -1 ) which was at
par with the application of 50 % N through GLM + compensation of RDF through chemical fertilizers
(12.94 q ha -1 ). A significant increase in seed cotton yield was observed under conservation tillage as
compared to conventional tillage. The higher SYI (0.71) was observed with the application of 50% N
through FYM + remaining RD through chemical fertilizers followed by 50% N through GLM +
remaining RD through chemical fertilizers (0.68). The lower SYI was observed in 100 % RDF through
chemical fertilizers. The highest NMR and B: C ratio (Rs. 23,656 ha -1 & 2.09) was obtained due to the
application of 50 % N through GLM + compensation of RDF through chemical fertilizers. The
significant improvement in the physical properties of soil was noticed due to the application of 50 % N
through GLM + compensation of RDF through chemical fertilizers which was at par with the
660 | Page Resource conservation and rainfed agriculture