Split Application of Vermicompost: Strategies to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Productivity of Chickpea Patidar K.K.1, Meena R.H.1, Jat Gajanand1, Sharma S.K.1, Jat Harikesh1, Meena Vijay Singh2,* 1Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur-313001, Rajasthan 2ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora-263601, (Uttarakhand), India *Correspondence: vijay.meena@icar.gov.in
Online published on 17 February, 2020. Abstract A field experiment was conducted at experimental farm of Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur during rabi season, 2015–16 with aimed to assess the effect of split application of vermicompost (VC) on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), soil biological properties and productivity of chickpea. The experiment consisted of 7 treatments viz., V0: control; V1: 100% RDV at sowing; V2: 75% RDV at sowing + 25% RDV at 15 DAS; V3: 50% RDV at sowing + 50% RDV at 15 DAS; V4: 75% RDV at sowing + 25% RDV at 30 DAS; V5: 50% RDV at sowing + 50% RDV at 30 DAS and V6: 50% RDV at sowing + 25% RDV at 15 DAS+ 25% RDV at 30 DAS. Results indicated that three split application of VC (50% RDV at sowing + 25% RDV at 15 DAS+ 25% RDV at 30 DAS) recorded significantly higher yield and yield attributes as compared to basal application. The NUE significantly improved with split application of VC. Meanwhile, significantly higher value of microbial population, dehydrogenase activity, nitrogen content and uptake were observed in three split application of VC. Top Keywords Split application, NUE, VC, Microbial activity, Chickpea. Top |