2024, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A

author(s)
Gopal Lal Choudhary, Dr. AC Shivran and Dr. Basant Kumar Dadarwal

abstract
A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of integrated nutrient management on the yield and quality characteristics of mustard throughout two successive rabi seasons in the years 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. The experiment was conducted using a Split Plot Design with three replications. The main plots consisted of seven different integrated nutrient management treatments, including control, 100% RDF, 50% RDF + FYM @ 6.0 t ha^-1, 50% RDF + vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha^-1, 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB, 50% RDF + FYM @ 6.0 t ha-¹ + Azotobacter + PSB, and 50% RDF + vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha^-1 + Azotobacter + PSB. The subplots consisted of three foliar sprays of agrochemicals, including control, salicylic acid @ 100 ppm, and brassinosteroid @ 0.40 ppm. The findings of this study showed that there was a significant increase in seed, straw, biological yield, nitrogen, and protein content with the application of 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB. This result was statistically similar to applying 100% RDF and 50% RDF + Vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB, and was superior to the other treatments. The application of 50% RDF combined with vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha-1, together with the use of Azotobacter and PSB, resulted in a significantly greater oil content. This increase was statistically similar to all other treatments, except for the control, in both years of the experiment and when the data from both years were combined. While, the application of 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB resulted in a significantly greater oil yield, which was statistically similar to the application of 100% RDF, 50% RDF + Vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha^-1 + Azotobacter + PSB, and 50% RDF + Vermicompost @ 3.0 t ha^-1, respectively, during the study. In case of foliar application of agrochemicals, Brassinosteroid resulted in significantly higher yield (seed, straw and biological yield), nitrogen content, protein content and oil yield compare to the other treatments. The above treatments did not show significant influence on the harvest index.