Effect of rock phosphate with different acidulates on growth and yield of different field crops

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted from 2009–10 to 2011–12 at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Center at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, to find out the efficiency of rock phosphate (RP) with different organic [farmyard manure (FYM), pressmud and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB)] and inorganic [single superphosphate (SSP) and gypsum]-acidulating materials. Rainy season (kharif) crops, namely rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], maize (Zea mays L.) and winter season (rabi) crops, namely Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj & Cosson], rabi maize, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), were selected for the study. The experiment carried out in a randomized block design with 8 treatment combinations of different acidulates with rock phosphate and replicated 3 times. Treatments include control, SSP + RP, RP + gypsum, RP + PSB, RP + FYM, RP + PM, RP + FYM + PSB and RP + PM + PSB. The maximum grain yield (5.18 t/ha) and straw yield (10.87 t/ha) in rice were observed when press mud and gypsum was used for acidulation respectively. Kharif maize and rabi maize gave the maximum grain yield when rock phosphate was acidulated with SSP. However, treatment effects were non-significant. Soybean, Indian mustard and lentil gave the maximum grain yield in gypsum acidulation of rock phosphate, but the effect due to treatments was significant in Indian mustard only. In chickpea, significantly higher grain yield (2.38 t/ha) was recorded in FYM + PSB acidulation than the other treatments which was found on a par with FYM and PM + PSB acidulation treatment.