Evaluation of nutrient uptake patterns and nutrient budgeting of Kharif crops

A two rainy season kharif experimentation (2023-2024) were carried out at ICAR‑Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, India.This study focuses on evaluating the nutrient uptake patterns of kharif pulses and (green gram and soybean), and foxtail millet with the aim of developing sustainable cropping strategies to enhance productivity and soil health in rainfed and semi-arid regions. Experiment was laid out in RCBD with 8 replications and 4 treatments. Results revealed that soybean has 4.05 times, 45.1 and 60.2% higher grain N-P-K concentration than foxtail millet grain (1.31-0.31- 0.83%). Soybean has 4.75 times, 64.1 and 85.6% higher grain N-P-K uptake than foxtail millet grain (14.2-3.40-9.07- kg ha⁻¹). Mean while, haulm N, concentration and uptake were highest in green gram whereas P-K concentration and uptake were highest in soybean by 68.4, 18.4% and 89.2 and 34.0% than foxtail millet straw (0.19 and 1.06% concentration and 4.00 and 22.30 kg ha^-1) uptake. Soil cultivated after soy bean and green gram has positive nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium balance than foxtail millet during both the years of study. Positive balance of N (75.17 and 74.91 kg ha^-1) was obtained with green gram and soybean cultivation compared foxtail millet (-21.54), soybean also has neutral P balance (-0.02 kg ha⁻¹). Soybean has higher K gain (37.93 kg ha⁻¹) than green gram and foxtail millet.