Effect of different organic sources on soil properties, yield and nutrient uptake by onion in inceptisol

"Effect of different organic sources on soil properties, yield, and nutrient uptake by onion in Inceptisol" is the topic of the current study. In the kharif of 2024, the experiment was carried out at the Post Graduate Institute Research Farm's Department of Soil Science, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. Eight treatments and three replications were used in the Randomized Block Design (RBD) experiment. The treatments comprised of T₁: Absolute control, T₂: GRDF (100:50:50 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha^-1 and 20 t FYM ha^-1), T₃: 100% RDF + Press mud compost @ 2.5 t ha^-1, T₄: 100% RDF + Press mud compost @ 5 t ha^-1, T₅: 75% RDF + Poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, T₆: 75% RDF + Poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, T₇: 75% RDF + PROM @ 0.5 t ha^-1, T₈: 75% RDF + PROM @ 1.0 t ha^-1. Organic manures were applied as per treatments 30 days before sowing in all treatments except treatment T₁ which was absolute control. As regards significantly highest, bulb yield (28.87 t ha^-1), straw yield (21.88 q ha^-1), bulb weight (72.82 g), polar diameter (5.20 cm), and equatorial diameter (5.93 cm) were recorded with the application of treatment T₂ (GRDF @ 100:50:50 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + 20 t ha^-1 FYM). The organic carbon (0.61%), nutrient availability (Nitrogen 196.13 kg ha^-1, Phosphorus 22.97 kg ha^-1, Potassium 436 kg ha^-1, Micronutrient availability of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu (4.99, 5.92, 0.85 and 2.73 mg kg^-1 respectively) were higher in the treatment T₂ (GRDF (100:50:50 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha^-1 + 20 t FYM ha^-1). Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake (138.10, 17.38, and 121.12 kg ha^-1 respectively) were higher in the treatment T₂ (GRDF @ 100:50:50 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + 20 t ha^-1 FYM). Whereas, micronutrient uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu (1512, 682, 372 and 126 g ha^-1, respectively) were higher at the treatment T₂ (GRDF @ 100:50:50 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + 20 t ha^-1 FYM). Significantly highest microbial population (28.29 cfu x 10^-4, 31.13 cfu x 10^-4, 33.43 cfu x 10^-6 g^-1 of total fungi, actinomycetes and bacteria, respectively) were recorded in treatment T₂ (GRDF @ 100:50:50 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + 20 t ha^-1 FYM). The highest gross monetary returns (Rs. 346440-ha^-1), net monetary returns (Rs. 201669-ha^-1), and B: C ratio (2.39) were recorded in treatment T₂ (GRDF @ 100:50:50 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + 20 t ha^-1 FYM) helped for increasing the yield of onion grown in Inceptisol, which is economically feasible than other treatments.