Response of saline water irrigated greengram (Vigna radiata) to land configuration, fertilizers and farm yard manure in Tapi command area of south Gujarat

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2008-09 and 2009-10 post-rainy seasons at Navsari, Gujarat to evaluate the effects of land configuration, fertilizers and farm yard manure (FYM) application on productivity, water use efficiency, nutrient uptake, soil fertility status and the economics of green gram ( Vigna radiata L.) cultivation. The raised bed method of planting was found superior as was evident from significant increase in growth and yield attributes, grain (0.93 t/ha) and stover yield (2.27 t/ha), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake, net returns ( 37.6 × 103/ha) and B:C ratio (3.9) and decrease in plant mortality percent. Application of 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (20 kg/ha) and phosphorus (40 kg P2O5/ha) recorded significantly higher growth and yield attributes, grain and stover yield, IWUE, NPK uptake, available NPK in the soil, net returns and B:C ratio over the application of 75% of recommended dose of N and P. Similarly, the application of FYM at 5t/ha recorded statistically higher growth and yield attributes, grain and stover yield, IWUE, NPK uptake, available NPK in the soil after harvest, net returns and B:C ratio and decrease in plant mortality percent over no FYM application.