Evaluate the Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on the Growth and Yield Performance of Cluster Bean

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the Research Farm of the Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University, Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the growth and yield performance of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) cultivar ‘RGC-1033’. The experiment comprised nine treatments arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments included combinations of farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, biofertilizers (Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria PSB), and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam with a slightly saline reaction (pH 7.6), low in organic carbon (0.16%), and deficient in available nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc, and iron, while medium in potassium. The results revealed that treatment T7 (Vermicompost @ 5 t/ha + FYM @ 10 t/ha + Rhizobium) recorded the highest values for growth and yield attributes, including plant height (27.00 cm at 30 DAS and 67.55 cm at 60 DAS), number of branches per plant (3.65 and 12.75), number of root nodules (33.85), number of clusters per plant (29.20), pods per cluster (8.32), pod yield per plant (180.63 g), and pod yield per hectare (158.09 q/ha). It also recorded the minimum number of days to 50% flowering (38.51) and first pod picking (42.75), indicating early crop maturity. The results confirm the superiority of integrated nutrient management involving vermicompost, FYM, and Rhizobium over other treatments in enhancing growth, yield, and nodulation in cluster bean. The study concludes that T7 is the most effective INM practice for maximizing productivity and sustainability in cluster bean cultivation under semi-arid conditions.