G. S. Yadav1, M. Datta1, Anup Das2, Subhash Babu3, Chandan Debnath1, S. N. Bhowmik1, S. P. Das1, B. L. Meena1, Jayanta Layek2 and S. V. Ngachan2
1 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Tripura Centre
2 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya
3 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Sikkim Centre
Introduction
Rapeseed and mustard group is the second most important sources of edible oil after groundnut. Among rapeseed-mustard, toria is a short duration and inter-season cash crop, which can assume a great importance in intensive cropping system (Charak et al. 2006).
This crop is most suitable for growing on residual soil moisture and fertility. Because of its shot duration it can grow in rainfed areas after harvest of kharif crops like rice, maize, green gram, blackgram etc. on residual soil moisture and fertility with life saving irrigation and increase the cropping intensity and farmers income. The adequate mineral nutrition particularly nitrogen fertilization is considered to be most important for exploiting potential of toria due to its involvement in various processes of physiological significances. The continuous use of chemical fertilizer may cause environmental hazards and responsible for climate change. In view of these facts, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of poultry and farm yard (FYM) manures on growth and productivity of Toria grown on tilla land of Tripura
Methodology
A field experiment was conducted in post rainy season (November – January) in 2011-12 at agronomy research farm of ICAR (RC) NEH Region of Tripura centre, Lembucherra, West Tripura. The objective of study was to evaluate the effect of poultry manure (PM) and farm yard manure (FYM) on productivity and economics of toria grown on tilla land. The experiment was conducted in complete randomize block design with 6 treatments (control, PM @ 5 t ha-1, PM @ 10 t ha-1, FYM @ 5 t ha-1, FYM @ 10 t ha-1, FYM
@ 15 t ha-1) and replicated thrice. Toria was sown in the last week of November with a seed rate of 5 kg ha-1 at a spacing of 30 cm x 10 cm and harvested in last week of January.
Results
There was a significant effect of organic manure (PM and FYM) on growth and yield of toria (Table 1). Plant height, root depth and branches plant-1 were significantly increased with the application of PM and FYM. Application of FYM @ 15 t ha-1 produced maximum
plant height, root depth and branches plant-1 over control, but at par with all other treatments.
Plant height was more with FYM as compared to PM on same level of application. However, root depth and branches plant-1 was higher with PM as compared with FYM on same level of application. Yield attributes and seed yield of toria was also significantly affected with the application of organic manures (PM and FYM) (Table 1). Application of FYM @15 t ha-1 produced significantly higher number of siliqua plant-1 and seed siliqua-1 over all other treatments except PM @ 10 t ha-1. However, 1,000 seed weight (g) was higher with the application of PM @ 10 t ha-1 over control and at par with all other treatments. At the same levels of application of manure, PM was more beneficial for higher expression of yield attributes. Seed yield of toria was significantly affected by PM and FYM applications.
Application of FYM @ 15 t ha-1 has produced more seed yield, which was at par with 10 t ha-1 PM and was significantly superior over rest of the treatments. PM produced more seed yield as compared to FYM at similar doses of application. Ghosh et al.(2010) reported the poultry manure @ 5 t ha-1 gave highest mustard seed yield fallowed by Ambrosia @ 10 t ha and FYM @ 10 t ha-1. Seed yield showed quadratic relationship with FYM and PM. Economic yield of toria was obtained with the application of 7.3 t ha-1 FYM while for PM, it was 6.6 t ha-1. That could be estimated from the equation (Figure 1). Toria grown with 15 t FYM ha-
1 incurred highest cost of cultivation. This higher amount of FYM resulted more cost for FYM and require more man power for application, thus total cost was higher with application of FYM @15 t ha-1 compared to other treatments. Gross returns was also significantly more with application of FYM @15 t ha-1 compared to other treatments; however it was at par with application of PM @10 t ha-1. Net returns showed different trends as compared to gross returns. The highest net returns was recorded with application of PM @ 10 t ha-1, which was statistically at par with FYM @ 10-15 t ha-1 and PM @ 5 t ha-1 and significantly superior over rest of the treatments. Benefit: Cost ratio (B: C ratio) decreased with the increase in the amount of PM and FYM. The highest B: C ratio was recorded with the application of PM @ Table 1 Effect of poultry manure and FYM on growth, yield attribute, yield and economics of Toria
Treatment Plant Root Branch/ Siliqua Seed/ 1,000 Seed Net B: C
height depth plant / plant siliqua Seed Yield returns Ratio
(cm) (cm) weight (kg ha-1) (Rs ha-1)
(g)
Control 87.7 8.2 3.5 113.3 13.8 2.5 626.7 15528 2.63
PM @ 5 t ha-1 92.5 9.7 4.4 139.0 15.2 3.1 1026.7 26059 2.74
PM @ 10 t ha-1 94.9 10.9 4.6 144.2 15.3 3.3 1186.7 26989 2.32
FYM @ 5 t ha-1 90.7 9.5 3.9 127.8 14.6 2.8 906.7 21131 2.40
FYM @ 10 t ha-1 100.4 10.6 4.4 131.2 15.1 2.9 1080.0 22468 2.08
FYM @ 15 t ha-1 101.0 10.9 4.9 153.8 15.5 3.0 1226.7 22739 1.86
SEm± 2.26 0.35 0.082 6.39 0.31 0.14 50.93 1608 0.08
LSD (p=0.05) 7.12 1.12 0.259 20.13 0.97 0.45 160.49 5067 0.24
5 t ha-1, which was statistically at par with control and significantly superior over all other treatments.
Figure 1. (a) Effect of poultry manure (a) and FYM (b) on seed yield of Toria
Conclusions
Productivity of Green gram – toria cropping system increased through soil moisture conservation and organic nutrient management practices. However, maximum net return and Benefit: Cost ratio was obtained with PM @ 5 t ha in toria.
References
Charak, A.S., Dadheech, R.C. and Shukla, K.B. 2006. Yield, quality and economics of toria as influenced by sowing time, row spacing and nitrogen levels. Journnal of Research, SKUAST-J 5 (2):148-152.
Ghosh, P.K., Das, A., Saha, R. and Tomar, J.M.S. 2010. Improving mustard yield through in-situ soil moisture conservation and conservation tillage in foot hills of Meghalaya. Indian Journal of Soil Conservation.
38(3):184-187.