Effects of integrated nutrient management on yield attributes and yield of kharif sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and its residual effect on succeeding chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under middle Gujarat condition 

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at College Agronomy Farm, B. A. College of Agriculture, A.A.U., Anand during kharif and rabi seasons of 2012-13 and 2013-14 to study the integrated nutrient management in kharif sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and its residual effect on succeeding chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under middle Gujarat condition. Fifteen treatment combinations given in kharif sesame crop comprised of five nitrogen management treatments i.e. N₁: 100% Recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) from inorganic fertilizer, N₂: 50% RDN from inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDN from Vermicompost (VC), N₃: 50% RDN from inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDN from Castor cake (CC), N₄: 25% RDN from inorganic fertilizer + 37.5% RDN from VC + 37.5% RDN from CC and N₅: 50% RDN from VC + 50% RDN from CC and three sulphur levels i.e. S₁ (00 kg ha^-1), S₂ (20 kg ha^-1) and S₃ (40 kg ha^-1) were tested in a factorial randomized block design with four replications. The succeeding chickpea (rabi) crop was super imposed on the same lay out. The experiment was conducted on the same site during both the years without changing the randomization of treatments. The various growth and yield attributing characters like periodical plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter production of plant, number of capsules plant^-1 were significantly affected due to nitrogen management treatments. These attributes were significantly higher in application of 100% RDN from inorganic fertilizers. Whereas, number of branches plant^-1 and number of seeds capsule^-1 were significantly higher under the treatment having 50% RDN from inorganic fertilizer+ 50% RDN from vermicompost. The significantly higher seed yield (503 kg ha^-1) and stover yield (1192 kg ha^-1) were recorded under treatment N₂ (50% RDN from inorganic fertilizer+ 50% RDN from vermicompost) in the pooled analysis. The highest net return of Rs. 52,730 ha^-1  was secured with treatment of 100% RDN from inorganic fertilizer with the maximum B:C ratio of 4.48. The residual effect of treatment N₅ (50% RDN from vermicompost + 50% RDN from castor cake) gave significantly maximum seed yield (1881 kg ha^-1) and haulm yield of (5667 kg ha^-1) of chickpea than all other treatments in the pooled analysis. This treatment also gave the highest net realization of Rs. 47,512 ha^-1 and benefit to cost ratio (3.59) from chickpea crop over residual effect of rest of the nitrogen management treatments in average of two years. The various growth and yield attributing characters like number of branches plant^-1, number of capsules plant^-1, 1000-seeds weight and harvest index of sesame crop were significantly higher under application of 20 kg S ha^-1 Significantly higher seed yield of sesame (493 kg ha^-1) in pooled analysis was produced with application of 20 kg S ha^-1. The highest net returns of Rs. 49,053 ha^-1 was incurred by application of 20 kg S ha^-1 with maximum B:C Ratio value of 3.69 in sesame crop. Residual effect of 20 kg S ha^-1 gave significantly higher seed yield (1726 kg ha^-1) and the highest haulm yield (5237 kg ha^-1) in the pooled analysis and the maximum net return of succeeding chickpea crop. The highest net return of Rs. 90,113 ha^-1 was secured with treatment N₂(50% RDN from inorganic fertilizer + 50% RDN from VC) with B:C ratio value of 3.40. Application of 20 kg S ha^-1 recorded the highest net realization of Rs. 91,246 ha^-1 and B:C ratio of 3.47 in sesame-chickpea sequence in average of two years.