Vol. 11, Special Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Sunita Choudhary, JS Bohra, Malchand Jat, Basant Kumar Dadrwal and Dr. Vinay Pratap Singh

Abstract:
The field study was executed in two successive years of 2016-17 and 2017-18 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (U.P.) to assess the effect of cow urine application at varying fertility and zinc levels on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and their residual effect on fodder maize under irrigated condition of Varanasi. Results revealed that the 100% RDF applied to preceding wheat recorded significantly maximum grain yield, straw yield, gross returns, net returns and B: C ratio of wheat as well as green and dry fodder yield and net returns of succeeding fodder maize over 75% RDF during both the years of study. Similarly, the application of zinc at 10 kg ha^-1 recorded significantly maximum values of above parameters in wheat except B: C ratio and in fodder maize at 70 DAS. Nevertheless, it being at par with 5 kg Zn ha^-1 both produced significantly higher value of above parameters over control. Increasing levels of cow urine application distinctly improved grain as well as straw yield and the each successive increment in cow urine level from 0-12000 l ha^-1 significantly enhanced grain and straw yield of wheat during both the years of study however with respect to gross returns and net returns it being at par with 8000 l (U₁) cow urine ha^-1, both proved significantly superior over control. With respect to B: C ratio highest value was obtained with U₀ which being at par with U₁ significantly higher than U₂ during first year. However, in the second year all the treatments differ significantly with each other. Various cow urine levels applied in preceding wheat crop were not exerting any residual effect on growth, yield and economics of maize. Soil parameters viz. soil pH, soil EC, soil organic carbon, soil bulk density, available N, P, K and Zn after harvesting of wheat and fodder maize were not affected significantly due to various fertility, zinc and cow urine levels.