Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
Manish Bera, D Singh, Piyush Choudhary, Malchand Jat and Ankit Kumar

Abstract:
The present experiment has been conducted in kharif 2019 and 2020 at Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur with four level of hydrogel application (H₁: Control; H₂: 2.5 kg/ha; H₃: 5.0 kg/ha; H₄: 7.5 kg/ha) and four levels of fertility (F₁: 75 kg N + 40 kg P₂O₅ + 30 kg K₂O ha^-1; F₂: 90 kg N + 45 kg P₂O₅ + 35 kg K₂O ha^-1; F₃: 105 kg N + 50 kg P₂O₅ + 40 kg K₂O ha^-1; F₄: 120 kg N + 55 kg P₂O₅ + 45 kg K₂O ha^-1) using factorial randomized block design. Study revealed that soil application of hydrogel @ 7.5 kg/ha recorded significantly higher protein content, nutrient content, their uptake and available N, P and K of soil and WHC which remained at par on soil application of hydrogel @ 5.0 kg/ha over control. In different fertility levels, application of 120 kg N + 55 kg P₂O₅ + 45 kg K₂O ha^-1 (F₄) recorded significantly higher protein content, nutrient content, their uptake and available N, P and K of soil which remained at par on soil application of 105 kg N + 50 kg P₂O₅ + 40 kg K₂O ha^-1 (F₃) over control. Our result suggested that application of hydrogel @ 5.0 kg/ha with 105 kg N + 50 kg P₂O₅ + 40 kg K₂O ha^-1 enhance grain quality and soil nutrient status.