Response of Summer Groundnut to Nutrient Sources and Solubilizers in Black Calcareous Soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer 2015 on black calcareous soil of the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU), Junagadh to study the efficacy of nutrient sources and solubilizers in summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment comprising of four levels of nutrient sources namely recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF - 25:50:50 kg ha-1), 5 t FYM ha-1, 1 t neem cake ha-1, and 1.5 t enriched compost ha-1 and three levels of nutrient solubilizers (PSB @ 1 L ha-1, all-nutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1, and micronutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1) in sub-plots was carried out in a split plot design with three replications. Highest number of branches per plant, root length, root volume, root fresh and dry weight, number of root nodules per plant, fresh and dry weight of root nodules per plant, pegs per plant, weight of mature and immature pods per plant, biological yield, pod yield, kernel yield, total uptake of N, P K, by pod and haulm were recorded with recommended dose of fertilisers comprising of 25 kg N + 50 kg P2O5 + 50 kg K2O ha-1. Highest uptake of S, Fe, Mn, Zn and B by pod + haulm was recorded with FYM treatment of 5 t ha-1. Growth attributes, yield attributes and yields of groundnut were maximized with application of all-nutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1. Total uptake of N, P, K and S by pod and haulm was significantly higher under all-nutrient solubilizers treatment while the uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn and B by pod and haulm was significantly higher with micro-nutrient solubilizers over that with PSB inoculation. Pod and kernel yields were statistically at par with different organic manures. Maximum net return (Rs. 66,500) was obtained with 5 t FYM ha-1and 2.5 L ha-1 of all-nutrient solubilizers.