Effect of Application of Elemental Sulphur Incubated with Different Organic Amendments on Yield and Quality of Groundnut in Sulphur Deficient Inceptisol Soil

Abstract

Aim: Under intensive farming system, use of high analysis fertilizers with rare use of organic manures, depleted the organic carbon status in the soil leads to decrease in productivity though applying improved technologies. After N, P, K fourth major nutrient now days considered as S (Sulphur) which play important role in oilseed and pulse crop productivity and its application with organics to soil found beneficial. Considering this, the proposed research as “Effect of Application of Elemental Sulphur Incubated with Different Organic Amendments on Yield and Quality of Groundnut in Sulphur Deficient Inceptisol Soil.” was carried out with five organic amendments having different quality and maturity parameters which showed the significant results with yield and quality of Kharif groundnut. Study Design: Randomized Block design with seven treatments and four replications. Place and Duration of the Study: The field research trial was conducted during Kharif 2019 at Post Graduate Farm, College of Agriculture, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. Methodology: As per the treatments details, the five organic amendments viz: FYM, Vermicompost, Press mud compost, Poultry manure, and City waste compost were incubated with 40 kg ha-1 elemental Sulphur for 30 days prior to application in field plots. The treatment wise incubated organic amendments and RDF applied to groundnut crop. The initial soil analysis, initial and after incubation, the characteristics and quality and maturity parameters of five organic amendments were analyzed by using standard methods. The growth observations and post-harvest observation of groundnut crop were recorded and data were analyzed  statistically. Results: The application of different organic amendments incubated with elemental Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1 namely FYM, Vermicompost, Press mud compost, Poultry manure, and City waste compost along with RDF to Kharif groundnut in Sulphur Deficient Inceptisol soil, significantly improved yield contributing characters, dry pod, haulm yields, protein and oil content as compared to absolute control and RDF. Amongst the different organic amendments, application of good quality and maturity poultry manure and vermicompost found significantly superior over rest of organic amendments incubated with Sulphur for  improving the growth, dry pod, haulm yields, protein and oil content as compared rest of organic amendments.