Long Term Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Nutrient Status in Rhizosphere Soils of Finger Millet - Groundnut Cropping System

To evaluate the long term effect of INM on soil nutrient status in rhizosphere soils of finger millet-groundnut based cropping system, soil samples were collected from an current long term fertilizer experiment at AICRPDA, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore, India. The experiment consists of 16 treatments, replicated twice with combinations of organic manures (FYM and maize residues) and crop rotation (mono-cropping and rotation). Results indicated that both physical and chemical properties were found to be improved in the combined application of FYM @ 10 t ha-1 + 100% RDF in the rhizosphere soil of finger millet- groundnut rotation. Most of the primary (N–201.59 kg ha-1and K2O- 232.92 kg ha-1), secondary (Ca- 4.65 c mol (p+) kg-1; Mg- 1.50 c mol (p+) kg-1 and S- 16.10 mg kg-1) and micronutrients (Fe- 34.09 mg kg-1, Mg- 11.42 mg kg-1 and Cu- 1.63 mg kg-1) were found to be greater in the rhizosphere soil as when compared to the non-rhizosphere soil. Whereas phosphorus (229.81 kg ha-1) and zinc (3.39) content was found to be higher in the non-rhizosphere soil (CD @ 5%). FYM and maize residues along with the inclusion of the legume crop in the rotation has helped in maintaining the soil fertility status in finger millet based cropping system.