An Asian Journal of Soil ScienceVolume 8 | Issue 1 | June, 2013 | 136-139

Effect of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on Indianmustard (Brassica juncea L.)

BHAGCHAND KANSOTIA, RAM SWAROOP MEENAAND VIJAY SINGH MEENA

IntroductionIndian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj and Coss.]

is the major oilseed crop (>80% of rapeseed-mustard), widelygrown in winter (Rabi) season mostly in north andnorthwestern. Indian mustard predominantly cultivated inRajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh andGujarat. Its cultivation is also being extended to non-traditionalareas of southern states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu andAndhra Pradesh. In Rajasthan, rapeseed and mustard occupiesprime place amongst all the oilseed crops grown in the state.Although it is major oilseed crop but its productivity (1084kg/ha) in the state is much lower than its realizable yieldpotential of 2200 to 2400 kg/ha. Despite of spectacular increasein mustard production in country as well as in Rajasthan,problem of low productivity continues to be worrying issuefor agricultural investigators or researchers. During past fewyears with the ever growing demand of oil for edible andindustrial purpose, the existing production is not sufficient.To cope up with situation it is imperative to maximize theproduction of rapeseed and mustard. The data from national

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MEMBERS OF RESEARCH FORUM :

Received : 21.03.2013; Revised : 08.04.2013; Accepted : 09.05.2013

SummaryA field experiment was carried out during Rabi, season 2009-10 on Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)at Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner.Application of vermicompost up to 6 t/ha and 80 kg N/ha+ 40 kg P

2O

5/ha significantly increased the

growth parameters, yield attributes, yields, nutrient content, nutrient uptake in seed, straw and totalnitrogen and phosphorus uptake and protein content and observed that available nitrogen, phosphorusand potassium of soil after harvest of mustard were significant higher than over control and lower levels.The combined effect of vermicompost x inorganic fertilizer was found significant pertaining to seedyield, N content and uptake in seed, P uptake in stover and protein content in seed.

Key words : Mustard, Nitrogen, Nutrient uptake, Vermicompost, Yield

How to cite this article : Kansotia, Bhagchand, Meena, Ram Swaroop and Meena Vijay Singh (2013).Effect of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) . Asian J. SoilSci., 8(1): 136-139.

Research Article

Corresponding author :RAM SWAROOP MEENA,Department of Agronomy, Institute ofAgricultural Sciences, B.H.U., VARANASI(U.P.) INDIAEmail: rsmeenaagro@gamil.com

Co-authors :BHAGCHAND KANSOTIA AND

VIJAY SINGH MEENA, Departmentof Soil Science and AgriculturalChemistry, Institute of AgriculturalSciences, B.H.U., VARANASI (U.P.) INDIAEmail: kansotiabc@gmail.com

demonstrations conducted on mustard at Bharatpur revealedthat the yield of 20 q/ha is quite possible. Hence, there is agreat scope of enhancing mustard production in the state byadopting improved package of practices. The alternate to solvethis problem is to increase its productivity by balancedfertilization and other management practices. Mustard oil isnot only used for edible purpose but also for industrial purposelike soap making, preparation of hair oil, medicines and in thetanning industry for softening of leather. Oil cakes, green stemsand leaves are used as cattle feed and green fodder. The seedand mustard oil have a peculiar pungency due to presence ofa glycoside “sinigrin” (C

10H

16O

9NS

2K) thus making it suitable

as condiments used in the preparation of pickles, curries andvegetables. Indian Agriculture is under the pressure ofmultiple- nutrient deficiency mainly N, P, K and S and theiruse have become essential to obtain optimum crop yield. Theresults from several experiments suggested that, for achievingthe higher crop yield and fertilizer use efficiency, balancefertilization is essential. Soil organic matter plays a key role ininfluencing the nutrient dynamics in soils. However, due topaucity of organic sources of nutrient and their inability to

HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE 137 Asian J. Soil Sci., (June, 2013) 8 (1) : 136-139

meet out total nutrient requirement to sustain large scaleproductivity goals to meet the demands of increasingpopulation, their integrated use with chemical fertilizers is aneffective way to recycle the organic wastes and are givingbetter results towards sustainable agriculture. In such effortsvermicompost is gaining more importance. The application ofvermicompost adds plant nutrients (macro and micro) andgrowth regulators, it also increases soil water retention,microbial population, causing more mineralization andconsequently more release of available nutrients. (Manna andHagra,1996). Deficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus is widelyobserved in light textured soils of North-Western region.Mustard requires higher quantity of nutrients, particularly Nand P for its optimum production. An adequate supply ofnitrogen is associated with vigorous vegetative growth anddark green colour. It is an integral part of the chlorophyllmolecule.The supply of nitrogen is also related to the utilizationof carbohydrate.lt also plays a major role in early establishmentof the leaf area and increases root development which enablesmore efficient use of nutrient and water. Information onquantitative requirement of nitrogen for mustard in differentregions of northern India revealed that mustard responds toN application. Phosphorus increases oil content in the seedsand it is observed that under extreme deficiency ofphosphorus the oil content in seeds is found to drop from 33to 23 per cent. Similarly phosphatic fertilization increased theamount of oleic, linoleic, linolenic and eicosenoic, with anappreciable decrease in undesirable erucic acid content (Singh,1993). Keeping all these factors in mind, the present experimentwas conducted at arid Western Rajasthan to find out effect ofvermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on Indian mustard .

Resource and Research MethodsA field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Farm,

College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand RajasthanAgricultural University, Bikaner during Rabi, season 2009-10.The soil of experimental site was loamy sand in texturecontaining 110.7, 19.9 and 154.1kg/ha available nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium, respectively in 0-30 cm depthwith pH 8.54 and organic carbon 0.12 per cent. The experimentwas laid out in factorial Randomized Block Design with threereplications, assigning twelve treatments consisting of fourlevels of vermicompost (control, 0, 2 and 4 t/ha) and threelevels of inorganic fertilizers (control, 40 kg N + 20 kg P

2O

5 /ha

and 80 kg N + 40 kg P2O

5/ha). Crop received 2.5 mm of rainfall

in rainy days in the growing season. Evaporation ranged from1.1 to 8.8 mm per day during the crop growing period.

Research Findings and DiscussionApplication of vermicompost upto 6.0t/ha significantly

increased growth parameters (Table1). Effect of vermicomposton plant growth and productivity may be ascribed to its directand indirect involvement in the availability of major nutrientsto crop plants. Moreover, vermicompost also balance nutritionunder favourable environment might have helped in increasedchlorophyll content at flowering stage. Further, improvedphysical and biological properties as a result of addition ofvermicompost might have also increased root expansion andincreased availability of nutrients. These results are inagreement with Reddy and Reddy (1998) in pea and Dhaka etal. (2001) in raya. Application of vermicompos 6.0t /hasignificantly increased the yield attributes such as number ofsiliquae per plant, seeds per siliquae and test weight andultimately increase in yield. Since, vermicompost containsalmost all essential plant nutrients, its incorporation in soilpromoted rapid vegetative growth and branching, thereby,increasing flowering ‘sink size’ fruiting and seed setting. Theimprovement of overall growth was due to vermicompost

Table 1 : Effect of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on chlorophyll content, yield attributes and yields of mustardYield (kg/ ha)

TreatmentsChlorophyll content in

leaves at flowering stageNumber of

siliqua / plantSeeds /siliqua

Test weight (g)Seed Stover

Vermicompost (t/ ha)

Control 1.88 158.22 12.17 3.88 820.89 1237.63

2.0 2.07 200.49 15.96 4.35 1058.67 1426.22

4.0 2.21 233.11 19.01 4.68 1241.56 1667.22

6.0 2.31 258.11 20.78 4.93 1456.00 1933.56

S.E.± 0.03 5.30 0.42 0.07 22.91 61.22

C.D. (5%) 0.09 15.54 1.22 0.21 67.19 179.55

Inorganic fertilizers

Control 1.85 151.33 14.43 4.19 923.00 1194.58

40 kg N + 20 kg P2O5 /ha 2.14 228.58 17.30 4.49 1167.50 1653.56

80 kg N + 40 kg P2O5/ ha 2.36 257.53 19.21 4.70 1342.33 1850.33

C.D. (p=0.5) 0.08 13.46 1.06 0.18 58.19 155.50

BHAGCHAND KANSOTIA, RAM SWAROOP MEENA AND VIJAY SINGH MEENA

HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE 138 Asian J. Soil Sci., (June, 2013) 8 (1) : 136-139

application coupled with transport of photosynthesis towardsreproductive structures might have increased the yieldattributes. These results are in close conformity with those ofRajkhowa et al. (2000) and Singh et al. (2007). Significantincrease in total N and P uptake (Table 2) due to application ofvermicompost 6.0 t / ha. may be due to the fact that uptake ofnutrients is a product of biomass accumulated by particularpart and its nutrient content. These results are in line with thefindings of Mathur (2000) and Singh et al. (2007). Theapplication of vermicompost 6.0 t/ha significantly increasedprotein content in mustard. The oil and protein content wereinfluenced due to higher uptake of phosphorus withvermicompst application, as it plays an important role in oilsynthesis and protein metabolism. Similar results were alsoreported by Aruna and Reddy (1999). Application of 6 tvermicompost /ha increased nutrient status of soil after harvestthe crop. (Table 2).

The significant improvement in these growth parameters(Table 1) of the crop was observed upto treatment 40 kg N +20 kg P

2O

5/ha. The chlorophyll content at flowering stage

increased upto 80 kg N + 40 kg P2O

5/ ha. Nitrogen is the most

important mineral nutrient since it is essential constituentrequired in synthesis of protein, chlorophyll and other organiccompounds in plant system. Phosphorus is the mainconstituent of co - enzymes, ATP and ADP, which acts asenergy currency within the plants. Thus, phosphorus applicationaffects photosynthesis,biosynthesis of proteins, phospholipidsand nucleic acids and cytoplasmic streaming. These resultsare in agreement with the findings of Sune et al. (2006). Theexistence of significant and positive correlation betweenattributes and seed yield. These results are also in cognizancewith those of Sune et al. (2006). Application of phosphorusand nitrogen significantly improved the concentration of Nand P in seed and stover up to 80 kg N + 40 kg P

2O

5/ha (Table

2). Since, uptake of nutrient is the function of seed and stoveryield and their concentration, higher concentration of thesenutrients coupled with increased seed and stover yieldenhanced the total uptake, available nutrient in soil afterharvest the crop. Protein content is essentially themanifestation of N concentration in seed. Hence, increasedconcentration of N in seed might have increased the proteincontent. Another reason for higher N content might be due toincreased activity of nitrate reductase in synthesis of proteinin seeds because it is a primary component of amino acidswhich are the building blocks of protein molecules. Theseresults are in close conformity with the findings of Bhat et al.(2007).

The interaction between vermicompost and inorganicfertilizer had significant influence on uptake in seed, P uptakein seed of mustard crop with application of 6.0 t vermicompost/ha+ 80 kg N + 40 kg P

2O

5/ha (Table 3).

Application of vermicompost in combination withinorganic fertilizers resulted significant increase in nutrient

EFFECT OF VERMICOMPOST & INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON INDIAN MUSTARD (Brassica juncea L.)

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Table 3 : Interaction effect between vermicompost (V) and inorganic fertilizers (F) on nitrogen uptake in seedV0 V1 V2 V3 Mean

F0 15.65 23.20 33.71 39.76 28.08

F1 26.20 38.46 47.69 59.91 43.07

F2 33.19 49.63 62.18 83.87 57.22

Mean 25.01 37.10 47.86 61.18

S.E.± 1.75

C.D. (5%) 5.12

contents might be due to greater availability of N and P in soilsupplied due to integrated application of vermicompost andinorganic fertilizer. Uptake of nutrients as a function of biomassproduction and nutrient content of that biomass increasedwith balanced nutrient application.

Literature CitedAruna and Reddy, S.N. (1999). Response of soybean (Glycine max)to conjunctive use of organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen.Indian J. Agric. Sci., 69 (5): 382-383.

Bhat, A.M., Singh, R. and Kohli, A. (2007). Effect of integrated useof farmyard manure and fertilizer nitrogen with and without sulphuron yield and quality of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). J. IndianSoc. Soil Sci., 55 (2): 224-224.

Dhaka, A.K., Satish, K. and Kadia, V.S.(2001). Effect of inorganicand in organic manures on growth indices of late planted Raya.Haryana J. Agron., 17 (1&2): 170-172.

Manna, M. and Hagra, J.N. (1996). Comparative performance ofcow dung slurry. Microbial inoculum and inorganic fertilizer onmaize. J. Indian Soc.Soil Sci., 44 : 526-528.

Mathur, K. (2000). Effect of Rhizobium inoculation and varioussources of nitrogen on growth and yield of summer green gram[Vigna radiata (L.) Wilezek.]. M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis, C.C.S. HaryanaAgriculture University, Hissar, HARYANA (INDIA).

Rajkhowa, D.S., Gogoi, A.K., Kandali, R. and Rajkhowa, K.M.(2000). Effect of vermicompost on greengram nutrition. J.IndianSoc.Soil Sci., 48 : 207-208.

Reddy, B.G. and Reddy, M.S. (1998). Effect of organic manures andnitrogen levels on soil available nutrients status in maize-soybeancropping system. J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci., 46 : 474 - 476.

Singh, S., Mehta, A.K. and Thakral, S.K.(2007). Nutrient contentand their uptake in wheat as affected by vermicompost and inorganicfertilizers. Haryana. J. Agron., 23(1/2): 106-108.

Singh, V.B. (1993). Effect of different levels of phosphorus andsulphur from different sources on taramira (E. sativa L.). M.Sc.(Ag.) Thesis, Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner,RAJASTHAN (INDIA).

Sune, S.V., Deshpande, R.M., Khawale, V.S., Baviskar, P.K. andGurao, B.P. (2006). Effect of phosphorus and sulphur applicationon growth and yield of linseed. J.Soils & Crops, 16 (1): 217-221.

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BHAGCHAND KANSOTIA, RAM SWAROOP MEENA AND VIJAY SINGH MEENA