Integrated nutrient management in barley (Hordeum vulgare) under central plateau and hills agroecological region

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2017–18 and 2018–19 at the Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, to find out best integrated nutrient management strategy in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The correlation and regression were studied between yield attributes and yield as influenced by these treatments. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (factorial), comprising combinations of 6 fertility levels [75% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), (45 kg N and 22.5 kg P₂ O₅ ) 100% RDF (60 kg N and 30 kg P₂ O₅ ); 125% RDF (75 kg N and 37.5 P₂ O₅ ); 75% RDF + farmyard manure (FYM) 5 t/ha; 100% RDF + FYM 5 t/ha; and 125% RDF + FYM 5 t/ha, and 4 liquid bioinoculants, viz. Azotobacter, phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Azotobactor + PSB and Azotobactor + Azospirillum + phosphates solubilizer + PGPR (plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria) at the rate 5 ml/kg seed. The results indicated that, application of 125% RDF in conjunction with FYM 5 t/ha had significant effect on yield attributes, viz. effective tillers (45.36), ear length (9.37 cm), ear weight (3.22g), grains/ear (54.49), grain weight/ear (2.70 g), straw weight/ear (0.52 g), filled spikelet/ear (54.47), least number of unfilled spikelet/ear (3.24) and test weight (49.92 g), and grain (5.20 t/ha), straw (7.79 t/ha) and biological yield (12.99 t/ha) which was at par with 100% RDF + FYM 5 t/ha. However, both these fertility levels significantly increased the grain weight/ear over application of 75% RDF + FYM 5 t/ha, 125% RDF, 100% RDF and 75% RDF during both the years. The barley crop under the influence of conjoint inoculation with liquid bio-fertilizers, consisting combination of Azotobacter + Azospirillum + phosphates solubilizer + plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) recorded significantly higher yield attributes, grain (5.12 t/ha), straw (7.57 t/ha) and biological yields (12.69 t/ha) and was found at par with inoculation of Azotobacter + PSB inoculation. The results showed positive interrelationship between grain yield and yield components, viz. effective tillers, ear length, test weight, grain/ear and grain weight/ear, clearly indicate that grain yield is dependent on several component which are interrelated with each other.