Improving Beneficial Microbial Population in Soils of Baby Corn (Zea mays L.) through Nutrient Management in the New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India

Abstract

A field study was carried out during the rabi season of 2019 at the Agricultural Experimental Farm of Calcutta University located at Baruipur, West Bengal after the harvest of Kharif rice to evaluate the influence of integrated nutrient management in baby corn (Zea mays L.) on soil microbial population in lower Gangetic alluvial land. The experimental plot was set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design replicated thrice having eight integrated nutrient management treatments viz., 100% recommended dose of NPK (RDF: N 120 kg ha-1, P2O5 60 kg ha-1 and K2O 60 kg ha-1); 75% of NPK + 2.5 t of vermicompost ha-1 + 2.4 litre ha-1 of seaweed extract spray; 75% NPK + 5 t ha-1 of FYM + 2 t ha-1 of vermicompost; 50% NPK + 2.5 t ha-1 of FYM + 1.5 litre ha-1 of humic acid spray; 75% NPK + 4.5 litre ha-1 of seaweed extracts spray; 75% NPK + 2.5 t ha-1 of vermicompost + 2.4 litre ha-1 of humic acid; 0.2 t ha-1 of Neem pellets + 7.5 t ha-1 of FYM + 2.5 t ha-1  of vermicompost + 2 litre ha-1 of seaweed extract spray; Control in soil pH of 6.2 and the land was medium low land with clay loam texture. Microbial populations were determined in this study, and results showed that baby corn recorded a greater number of microfloral populations after harvest viz., fungi-(102.00) × 104 and (105.00) × 104, actinomycetes-(23.00) × 105 and (26.00) × 105 total bacteria-(102.00) × 106 and (113.00) × 106 under the treatment comprised of 75% NPK with 2.5 t vermicompost ha-1 and seaweed extract 2.5 litre ha-1 whereas lower microbial count was recorded in the control plot.