Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

During the Rabi season of 2018-19, a field experiment was undertaken at Vivekananda Global University's Research Farm in Jaipur to investigate the "Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)." The experiment followed a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisting of nine treatment combinations viz., 100% RDF (T1), 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T2), 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T3), 75% RDF (T4), 75% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T5), 75% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T6), 50% RDF (T7), 50% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T8) and 50% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T9) were applied to the barley var. RD-2035. The experimental results demonstrated that several integrated nutrient treatments greatly boosted barley growth, yield characteristics and yield, quality, and economics. With the application of 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T3), the maximum plant height at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, total number of tillers at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, effective number of tillers, ear length, number of grains ear-1, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and nitrogen content in grain and straw of barley were obtained. However, the application of 100% RDF yielded the significantly largest net returns and B: C ratio of barley (T1).