Effect of nitrogen management on yield, water use and nutrient uptake of grain amaranth (Amaranthus hypochodriacus) under moisture stress Chaudhari P.P.*, Patel P.T., Desai L.J. C.P. College of Agriculture, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Banaskantha, Gujarat, 385 506. *Corresponding author: (E-mail: ppchaudhary.sdauskn@yahoo.com)
Present address: Directorate of Research, S.D. Agriculture University, Sardarkrushinagar, Dist. Banaskantha, (Gujarat) 385 506. Abstract An experiment was conducted at Sardarkrushinagar during 2004–05 and 2005–06 on sandy loam soil to find out response of grain amaranth to moisture stress (viz., no moisture stress, stress at active vegetative stage; and stress at active vegetative as well as grain filling stage) and N management (No N, 40 kg N/ha, 40 kg N/ha with Azotobacter liquid and powder 60 kg N/ha, 60 kg N/ha with Azotobacter liquid and powder). The study revealed that without moisture stress grain amaranth gave 16.58 and 22.07% higher grain yield over moisture stress imposed at active vegetative stage and at 2 growth stages, respectively in pooled data. However, the lowest water use (5.30 kg/ha-mm) and expense efficiency (4.41 kg/ha-mm) was obtained with maximum water consumption (246.2 mm) under no moisture stress. Among the N management treatments, 60 kg N/ha integrating seed inoculation with Azotobacter liquid culture brought remarkable improvement in stem thickness, length of main inflorescence, number of lateral spikelets and 1,000 seed weight which resulted in increase in grain and stover yields. Application of 60 kg N/ha + Azotobacter liquid showed its superiority in terms of consumption of water (218.6 mm), water use (7.19 kg/ha-mm) and expense efficiency (6.17 kg/ha-mm). Integration of 60 kg N/ha + Azotobacter liquid culture realized 9.42 and 11.26% higher N and P uptake over 60 kg N/ha alone. Significant contribution of seed inoculation was noted on yield with interactive effect of moisture stress and with higher level of N. It can be concluded that application of 60 kg N/ha alongwith seed inoculation (Azotobacter liquid culture) under assured irrigation recorded the maximum values of yield, water use, nutrient uptake, and net returns. Top Key words Amaranthus, Crop yield, Economics, Management, Moisture content, Water use. Top |