Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
Ashok K Saini, Lalita H Saini, HS Chaudhary, Pratikkumar J Vaghela and MM Chaudhary

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2021-22 on loamy sand of Agronomy Instructional Farm, C. P. College of Agriculture, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to assess the impact of levels of irrigation and nitrogen with & without mulch on growth, yield attributes, yield, field water use efficiency and economics of mustard. The soil was normal in EC (0.112 dS/m), low in organic carbon (0.30%), available nitrogen (187.56 kg/ha), medium in available phosphorus (49.80 kg/ha), available potash (256.40 kg/ha) with slightly alkaline (7.6 pH) in reaction. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated four times. Twelve treatment combinations consisting three levels of irrigation (0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 IW/CPE), two levels of nitrogen (75 and 100% RDN) with and without mustard straw mulch (2 and 0 t/ha) were embedded. The results indicated that significantly higher growth and yield parameters viz., plant height at harvest (195.6, 191.9 cm),dry matter accumulation at harvest (46.69, 49.26 g/plant), CGR, RGR, number of primary branches per plant (5.50, 5.58), number of siliquae per plant (277.0, 279.3), number of seeds per siliqua (13.50, 13.48), seed yield (2106, 1999 kg/ha) and stover yield (4783, 4765 kg/ha) with irrigation scheduled at 1.0 IW/CPE and 100% RDN with mustard straw mulch @ 2 tonne per ha, individually. Siliqua length, test weight and harvest index of mustard were not affected by irrigation and nitrogen levels with & without mulch. Higher FWUE was found with irrigation scheduled at 0.6 IW/CPE and 100% RDN with mulch. Total N, P and K uptake as well as available N, P₂O₅ and K₂O after harvest were found highest with higher level of inputs i.e., irrigation, nitrogen and mulch. Maximum net return (₹ 107647/ha) and BCR (3.47) was secured with irrigation scheduled at 1.0 IW/CPE along with 100% RDN with mustard straw mulch @ 2 tonne per ha. Thus, it is concluded that mustard crop should be irrigated at 1.0 IW/CPE and fertilized with 75% RDN (three splits, i.e., 50% as basal and 25% each after 25 and 55 DAS) along with 2 tonne per ha mustard straw mulch for securing higher yield in loamy sand soil.