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for a period of three years (2007-2009) to find out the effect of integrated nutrient management on productivity of hybrid maize. Conjunctive use of 100% NPK + 5 t ha-1 poultry manure recorded significantly highest grain and stover yields. Integration of 100% NPK with FYM and micronutrients viz., zinc and iron recorded higher yield than the treatment that received 100% NPK + poultry manure + ZnSO4 + FeSO4. The lowest yield of 5637 kg ha-1 was recorded in the treatment that received 100% NPK. The uptake of macronutrients by hybrid maize increased with increase in NPK levels. The organic carbon, available N and K status of soil improved due to the application of 100% NPK + 5 t ha-1 poultry manure while the available P status was increased with 75% NPK + 5 t ha-1 poultry manure. The highest benefit : cost ratio (2.52) was obtained with the application of 100% NPK + FYM + ZnSO4 + FeSO4.

A pot culture experiment was carried out with the redgram var. CO(Rg)7 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The soil used for the experiment was red, calcareous, sandy loam which belongs to the soil series Palladam (TypicUstropept). The experiment soil was medium in available N (285 kg ha-1), high in available P (26.75 kg ha-1) and K (287 kg ha-1). The soil was deficient in DTPA-Fe (4.80 mg kg-1), DTPA-Mn (0.25 mg kg-1), DTPA-Zn (0.15 mg kg-1), DTPA-Cu (0.22 mg kg-1), and sufficient in hot water soluble B (0.75 mg kg-1). The experiment was laid out with eleven treatments in a completely randomised design (CRD) replicated thrice to study the effect of foliar application of multinutrients on the yield, quality, uptake and soil nutrient status of redgram. In the treatments of foliar application with different combinations of complex, micronutrient and chelated micronutrient fertilisers at different stages, application of 0.5% KNO 3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray along with soil application of 100% recommended dose of NPK (T 7) recorded the maximum value of yield attributes. Quality parameters such as seed protein content and seed total free amino acid content were enhanced by the foliar application of 0.5% KNO 3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray. Application of 100% RD NPK and foliar spraying of 0.5% KNO 3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient recorded the highest macro and micro nutrient uptake which was followed by the treatments that received 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% MAP + 0.5% KNO 3 + micronutrients and 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% KNO 3 + 2% DAP + chelated micronutrients. Availability of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B contents in soil at different stages was significantly influenced by the various foliar applications. The Chlorophyll 'a', 'b' and total chlorophyll contents were found to be the highest in the treatment that received 100% RD NPK + foliar spray of 0.5% KNO 3 + 2% DAP + micronutrients (T 7).

Investigations were carried out to study the effect of organic farming with various sources of organic manures and their combinations on nitrogen use efficiency parameters of ADT 36 rice (Oryza sativa L.). The experiments were laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with fourteen treatments, comprising twelve treatment combinations of organic manures, one treatment with recommended dose of chemical fertilizer and the other was absolute control which were replicated three times. The recommended dose of NPK fertilizer was 90: 40: 40 kg ha-1 for Kharif and Rabi rice. The recommended dose of 90 kg N ha-1 was substituted through organics viz., farm yard manure (FYM), Sesbaniarostrata, composted coirpith alone and in combination with neem cake and Azolla. The nitrogen use efficiency parameters such as partial factor productivity (PFP N), agronomic efficiency (AE N), recovery efficiency of applied nitrogen (RE N), physiological efficiency of applied nitrogen (PE N) and internal efficiency of applied nitrogen(IE N) values were high in the treatment receiving FYM + neem cake applied at 90 kg N ha-1 level.

A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of drip fertigation and foliar nutrition of liquid multi nutrient on growth, yield and quality parameters of hybrid cotton. Liquid fertilizer was formulated using micronutrient (Zn, Fe, Mn, B, Mo, Cu), Mg and S to meet the nutrient requirement of hybrid cotton. Field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and seven treatments. Drip fertigation was applied with 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) through water soluble fertilizer and Liquid Multinutrient (LMN). Treatment that received 100% RDF + LMN fertigation and foliar nutrition of LMN recorded the highest growth parameters (plant height, Leaf Area Index and dry matter production), yield parameters like number of sympodial branches/plant, number of bolls/plant, boll weight, seed cotton yield and quality parameters like staple length and ginning out turn per cent and in addition to that foliar nutrition of LMN containing Mg alleviated the Mg deficiency to the tune of 52% which in turn increases the above parameters. Fertigation and foliar nutrition of LMN enhanced the nutrient uptake of hybrid cotton that would economize the cost of fertilizer input.

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Attention to intercropping for sustainable agriculture is increasing, and scientific studies on intercropping have also grown in recent years. Agroforestry Systems, which combine annual crops with trees, are used widely in semiarid regions to reduce wind erosion and improve the efficiency of resources such as water and nutrients. Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited Farm, Mondipatty, Tamil Nadu, to study the compatibility of intercropping systems in the Dalbergia sissoo-based Horti-silvicultural system for two years during 2016 and 2017. The experiments were conducted in a split-plot design with four replications.The main plot treatments were M1: Cassava M2:Chillies and the subplot treatments were five nutrient management packages viz., S1: Untreated control, S2: 100 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (Cassava: 90: 90: 240 and Chillies: 60: 80: 80),S3: 125 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (Cassava: 112.5: 112.5: 300 and Chillies: 75: 100: 100), S4:150 % (Cassava: 135: 135: 360 and Chillies: 90: 120: 120) Recommended Dose of Fertilizers, S5: Soil Test Crop Response studies - Integrated Plant Nutrient Supply System -based recommendation (as per soil test value). The results indicated that the Horti-Silvicultural system of growing Cassava and Chillies along with D. sissoo performed well. It was observed that statistically significant    (p ≤ 0.05)  higher yields of 17.8 tha-1 and 1.6 tha-1 were recorded in Cassava and Chillies, respectively, in treatment S5, where the fertilizer was applied based on the Soil Test Crop Response studies - Integrated Plant Nutrient Supply System. In addition, the soil fertility status was also sustained in this plot. The fertilizers applied to the intercrops have contributed to the nutrient requirement of the tree crop and thereby reduced the cost of cultivation in the agroforestry system.

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