RISHI KUMAR REDDY*, K.V. NAGA MADHURI, P.V.R.M. REDDY AND V. CHANDRIKA

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati – 517 502, India

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted to study effect of organic manures on availability of nutrients in groundnut crop (Arachis hypogaea L.) at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Tirupati during kharif, 2016. The experimental soil was red sandy loam (Typic Haplustalf). The experiment has six treatments each replicated four times in a randomized block design. Surface soil samples at a depth of 15 cm were collected in each treatment and analyzed for chemical properties. Available N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S increased significantly by the application of organic manures at harvest. Highest available nitrogen (236 kg ha-1), phosphorus (61 kg ha-1) and potassium (292 kg ha-1) were observed in FYM, poultry manure and pressmud cake applied treatments, respectively whereas the lowest was observed in control. The highest exchangeable calcium (6.5 cmol (p+) kg-1) and available sulphur (9.4 mg kg-1) were observed in pressmud cake applied treatment. However, FYM applied treatment recorded the highest exchangeable magnesium (4.0 cmol (p+) kg-1). The lowest magnesium and sulphur were observed in RDF treatment. The DTPA extractable micronutrients like Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn also increased significantly with the application of organic manures at harvest. The highest Fe (7.1 mg kg-1), Zn 4.7 (7.1 mg kg-1) and Cu (0.73 mg kg-1) content were recorded in FYM applied treatment followed by poultry manure applied treatment. The lowest Fe, Zn and Cu were recorded in control. From the present study, organic manures viz., FYM or pressmud cake application @ 10 t ha-1 was found most effective in maintaining soil health with respect to nutrient status.

KEYWORDS:

Organic manures, soil nutrients, soil health