Studies of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Cosson]

Abstract

Demand for vegetable oil is increasing due to an increase in production and standard of living, increased industrialisation and diversion for bio-fuels as a result oilseed crops viz. groundnut, rapeseed and mustard, soybean, sesame, sunflower, safflower and niger (edible) and linseed and caster (non-edible) are cultivated in the country. The basic objective of the integrated nutrient management is to make as far as possible, a balanced nutrient supply to the mustard crop that maintains and also improves the soil fertility health for sustained high productivity on a long-term basis. A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of nutrient management on Mustard (variety Vardan) at the Student Instructional Farm (SIF) of C.S.A.U.A&T. Nababganj, Kanpur during Rabi season of 2012-13. The experiment consists of eight integrated nutrient management of organic and inorganic fertilisers. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design (RBD) with three replications.  The results revealed that the treatment T4: RDF+VC @ 5 t ha-1 recorded higher growth parameter such as plant height and total no. of branches and yield attributes such as total no. of siliquae/plant (293.33), weight of siliquae/plant (125.63g), no. of seed/siliquae (15), test weight (4.53 g), grain yield (22.50 q ha-1) and stover yield (79.00 q ha-1) followed by T7 and T6. For obtaining maximum grain yield, growth and yield attributes characters in mustard crop could be made possible when the RDF dose is combined with Vermicompost 5t ha-1. The application of RDF+ Vermicompost @ 5t ha-1 was also found significantly higher in gross income (85275) and net income (30370.71) over the rest of the treatments.