Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Vinod Kumar, PC Chaplot, J Choudhary and MK Kaushik

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2013-14 to study effect of balanced fertilization on growth, green fodder yield and nutrient uptake by dual purpose barley varieties at the instructional farm, Rajasthan college of agriculture, Udaipur. The experiment was laid out in RBD (Factorial) with 14 treatment combinations replicated thrice. The treatment consisted of seven balanced fertilization (no fertilization, N, NP, NPK, NPKS, NPKZn, NPKSZn) applied at recommended level and two varieties (RD 2715, RD 2552). The results indicated that dual purpose barley variety RD 2715 recorded significantly higher plant height, total tillers and dry matter accumulation at 55 DAS, thereby produced significantly higher green fodder yield by 14.5 per cent over variety RD 2552. This variety also recorded highest uptake of N, P, K,S and Zn by fodder and TDN in green fodder. The crop fertilized with N, NP, NPK, NPKS, NPKZn and NPKSZn at recommended level significantly increased growth, green fodder yield, nutrient uptake and quality over control. Among balanced fertilization, application of NPKSZn recorded significantly higher green fodder yield by 16.7 per cent over NPK closely followed by NPKS. This nutrient combination also recorded higher N, P, K, S and Zn status in dry fodder and TDN content in green fodder.