B. RAJESH KUMAR*
Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
Veterinary University Training and Research Centre,
District Collectorate Campus Sathuvachari, Vellore-623009, Tamil Nadu
*(e-mail : drrajeshvet2008@gmail.com)
(Received : 12 August 2020; Accepted : 10 September 2020)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of inorganic fertilizer and the combined effect of farmyard manure (organic) with inorganic fertilizer on the Plant Organic Carbon, Green Fodder Yield (GFY), Dry Matter Yield (DMY) and Carbon Assimilation Potential (CAP) in Fodder cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) crop field in North Eastern and Western Zones of Tamil Nadu, India during summer season of 2012. For the study, in Western zone two districts viz., Coimbatore and Erode and in North Eastern Zone Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts were selected for the field experiments. From the selected district, two villages were selected (2 village/ district) for field experiments totaling to eight experimental sites for the study. The Plant organic carbon on 60th day ranged from 42.52 to 44.53% for T1 (RDF) and 43.08 to 44.96% for T2 (RD of organic and inorganic fertilizer) for all the villages. The GFY for T1 and T2 on 60th day ranged between 16.72 to 18.31 t/ha and 17.04 to 18.99 t/ha, respectively in all villages. On the other hand, Dry Matter Yield for T1 and T2 on 60th day varied between 2.44 to 2.68 t/ha and 2.49 to 2.71 t/ha for all villages. Carbon Assimilation Potential for T1, T2 on 60th day varied between 1.04 to 1.19 t/ha and 1.07 to 1.25 t/ha for the villages under study. This study recommended the use of farmyard manure along with inorganic fertilizer as the best option for increased plant organic carbon, biomass yield which also had positive effect on carbon assimilation potential.
Key words:Green fodder, dry matter, FYM, fodder cowpea, inorganic fertilizer, carbon assimilation potential