Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
Shiv Chand Bawaliya, Dr. RK Jakhar and Shankar Lal Sunda

Abstract:
An experiment was carried out at Research farm of Agricultural Research Station, SKRAU, Bikaner during Rabi season of 2019-20 on loamy sand soil. The experiment consisted of sixteen treatment combinations comprising of four levels of nitrogen (control, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha^-1) and four levels of sulphur (control, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha^-1). The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Results showed that application of 60 kg N ha^-1significantly increased the available nitrogen, sulphur, dehydrogenase enzyme activity, total bacteria and fungi population in soil and phosphorus, potassium, sulphur content and uptake in leaves which were statistically at par with 80 kg N ha^-1. However, nitrogen content and uptake in leaves significantly increased upto 80 kg N ha-1. Total actinomycetes population in soil decreased significantly with increasing levels of nitrogen. However, soil pH, EC, organic carbon, available phosphorus and potassium in soil did not differ significantly due to different levels of nitrogen. Results further indicated that application of 30 kg S ha^-1significantly increased the available phosphorus, dehydrogenase enzyme activity, total bacteria and fungi population in soil and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium content and uptake, sulphur uptake in leaves but it remained at par with 45 kg S ha^-1. However, sulphur content in leaves and available sulphur in soil increased significantly upto 45 kg S ha^-1. Soil pH and total actinomycetes population decreased significantly with increasing levels of sulphur from 0 to 45 kg S ha^-1. However, EC, organic carbon, available nitrogen and potassium in soil was found non-significant due to increasing levels of sulphur.