Inductive Cum Target Yield Model Based Fertilizer Prescription for Chickpea Cultivation in North Western Mollisol

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in an Aquic hapludoll at D7 block of Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (29° N Latitude and 79°29’ E Longitude), as the per technical program of All India Coordinated Research Project on Soil Test Crop Response Correlation to study the effect of soil and applied nutrients on chickpea to ensure balanced fertilization. Response to selected combinations of three levels of FYM (0, 5 and 10 t ha-1), four levels of nitrogen (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1 ), four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) and four levels of potassium (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg K2O ha-1) at different fertility levels of chickpea was studied. Basic data for fertilizer prescription was computed on the basis of soil analysis, nutrient uptake and grain yield. Nutrient requirement for production of one quintal of grain yield of chickpea was found to be 4.41 kg nitrogen, 0.62 kg phosphorus and 2.53 kg potassium. Percent contribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was 37.05, 72.16 and 35.61, from soil, whereas from other sources as FYM was 68.31, 16.15 and 37.20 percent; chemical fertilizer 160.01, 16.79 and 93.51 and conjoint joint use of chemical fertilizer with FYM 64, 15.57 and 95.22 in terms of N, P and K respectively. Fertilizer prescription equations were generated by these basic data. These fertilizer prescription equations are valuable for efficient and judicious use of costly fertilizers to improve farmer’s economic conditions.