2025, Vol. 8, Issue 4, Part F

author(s)
Richa Saikia, Jyoti Rekha Hazarika, Mahima Begum, Karuna Kanta Sharma, Bhabesh Gogoi. Polashi Kachari and Priyambi Saikia

abstract
An experiment entitled “Performance of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) under integrated nutrient management” was carried out at Instructional-cum-Research (ICR) Farm of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during the rabi season of 2019-20. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD), replicated thrice with eight treatments viz., T₁: Control (No fertilizer), T₂: 100% RDF (inorganic), T₃: 75% RDF (inorganic), T₄: 50% RDF (inorganic), T₅: 75% RDN (inorganic) + 25% vermicompost (organic), T₆: 75% RDN (inorganic) + 25% FYM (organic), T₇: 50% RDN (inorganic) + 50% vermicompost (organic) and T₈: 50% RDN (inorganic) + 50% FYM (organic). The results revealed that the highest growth parameters like plant height, number of tillers/m², dry matter accumulation as well as total green forage yield (307.69 q/ha) and dry matter yield (62.94 q/ha) were recorded under treatment T₂ (100% RDF)_, which was closely followed by treatment T₅ (75% RDN + 25% vermicompost) and T₆ (75% RDN + 25% FYM). Significantly higher quality parameters like crude protein and crude fat content in all the three cuts were recorded under treatment T₂, which was at par with treatment T_5, T₆ and T₇. The crude fibre content was the highest under treatment T₁ (control) where no fertilizer was applied. Similarly, significantly higher total crude protein yield (6.03 q/ha) was recorded under treatment T₂ which was at par with treatment T₅ while crude fibre yield was the highest (8.25 q/ha) under T₂ but was at par with treatment T₅ and T₆. From economic point of view, the highest B-C ratio (1.71) was recorded under T₂ (100% RDF) followed by treatment T₆ (1.62). Thus, considering the yield and quality parameters as well as soil heath and economic feasibility, treatment T₆ with 75% RDN (inorganic) + 25% FYM (organic) could be considered as the best nutrient management practice in ryegrass under the prevailing climatic condition of Assam.