Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Vikram Bharati, Kanhaiya Lal, SS Prasad, DK Dwivedi, Rajesh Kumar, CS Choudhary and Anil Pandey

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2020-21 at Agricultural Research Farm TCA, Dholi (Muzaffarpur), a campus of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), Bihar, (India). The treatments comprised three fertility levels (F₁-100% RDF, F₂-75% RDF and F₃-Control) in main plots and five microbial consortia (M₁-Phosphate solubilizing organism, M₂-Azotobacter, M₃-Potassium mobilizing bio-fertilizer, M₄-Zinc solubilizing bio-fertilizer and M₅-PSMO + Azotobacter + KMB + ZSB in sub plots. The treatments were replicated thrice in split plot design. Collected soil of experimental site was exhibited sandy loam texture having calcareous alkaline nature (pH 8.24), CaCO₃ (25%) low in organic carbon and available N, P₂O₅, K₂O and Zn. The Indian mustard variety ‘Rajendra Sufalam’ was sown at a distance of 30 cm x 10 cm with seed rate of 5 kg ha^-1 with RDF (80:40:40 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1). The different fertility levels, F₁-100% RDF was significant superior over other fertility levels in term of growth attributes (height of plant, number of branches, dry matter accumulation and relative growth rate), yield attributes and yield as well as higher NPK uptake in grain and straw, availability of N and P in soil were analysed and recorded negative balance while K showed positive balance. Among the microbial consortia, M₄- Zinc solubilizing biofertilizer (ZSB) resulted significantly superior impact over other microbial consortia in respect of growth factors (plant height, number of branches, dry matter accumulation and relative growth rate), yield attributes and yield as well as higher NPK uptake in grain and straw. F₁-100% RDF was recorded higher net return (₹ 53918 ha^-1) and B:C ratio (1.26) than others. In terms of economics of mustard M₄- Zinc solubilizing biofertilizer (ZSB) fetched higher net return (₹ 54253 ha^-1) and B:C ratio (1.39) as compared to other treatments.