Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield, nutrient uptake and ecnomics of french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) 2004-05 and 2005-06 at Varanasi to study the effect of organic, inorganic and biofertilizers on french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The soil was sandy loam with pH 7.42. It was moderately fertile, being low in organic carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and zinc and medium in phosphorus, potassium and iron. The experiment was conducted in split-plot design with 3 replications. Five fertility levels combining inorganic (NPK) and organic (vermicompost) were allotted to main plot and 7 different combinations of biofertilzers (Rhizobium + Bacillus polymyxa + Pseudomonas fluorescence) and micronutrients (Zn and Fe) were subjected to sub-plot. Results showed superimposition of 25% N organic (recommended dose of N through vermicompost) to 100% NPK (recommended dose of NPK through fertilizers), being at par with 100% NPK + 50% N organic resulted in significant improvement in growth character, plant height, branches/plant, trifoliate leaves/plant and dry matter/plant, yield attributes (pod length, pods/plant and grains/pod), yield (grain and straw, harvest index) and nutrient (N, P, K, S, Zn and Fe) uptake. However, unfilled pods/pant was lesser with this fertility level. Gross and net returns were higher with 100% NPK + 50% N organic fertility level but B:C ratio was higher under 100% NPK + 25% N organic level. The combined effect of biofertilizers and micronutrients (biofertilizer + Zn + Fe treatment) was significantly better than their individual effects as this treatment significantly improved growth characters, yield attributes, yield, harvest index, nutrient uptake and B:C ratio. Furthermore, integration of 100% NPK +25% N organic and biofertilizer + Zn + Fe was conducive for getting significantly optimum yield.