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Results and
Discussion
The incorporation of various types of plant residues and farm
yard manure in the soil significantly increased the different plant
growth parameters and yield contributing characters of wheat crop at
all harvest occasions compared to control (Table
2). At maturity,
the maximum straw and grain yields were obtained by incorporating the
residue of prosopis, followed by withania, rice husk and rice straw.
The higher increase in grain yield and other growth parameters with
different residues may possibly be due to differences in the physical
and chemical nature of the incorporated residues in the soil. The
plant residues incorporated soil had a better physical condition. It
may also have been a better supplier of plant nutrients through the
mineralization and microbial decomposition of plant residues. It has
been reported that soil microorganisms which decompose and metabolize
organic substances generally contribute to the storage and supply of
important nutrients for crop plants such as N and P, which thereafter
helps in the growth and development of plants. Amount of soil
microorganisms also affects the amount of enzymes in soil which in
turn effects the decomposition rates of the respective components of
soil organic substances including the compounds of microbial bodies.
Most organic components of soil are decomposed into inorganic
substances due to the action of soil enzymes (urease, hydrogenase)
mainly secreted by microorganisms.
In this experiment most probably similar processes were also going
into the soil on the breakdown of plant residues used in this
experiment and thus the incorporated residues help in the increase of
crop production. In the pots incorporated with residue of prosopis,
withania and abutilon and half doses of N (50 kg N/ha) yielded more
grain yield than the rest of the crop residues added with full dose
of N (100 kg N/ha). This possibly shows that plant residues having
antibacterial activities help in the slow release of applied nitrogen
fertilizer throughout the growth of the wheat crops which seems to be
sufficient for the wheat growth under the present experimental
conditions.
It was observed that content of most of the nutrients analyzed from
residues treated wheat plant was higher than the control plants
(Table
3). The higher
content of nutrients in wheat plant released during mineralization of
incorporated plant residues possibly help in the growth and
development of plant resulting in the higher grain yield of wheat
crop.
It would be concluded from this study that the incorporation of plant
residues into soil is a good source for supplying the plant nutrient
elements, which afterwards help in the growth and development of crop
plant.
References
Alam SM and Azmi AR (1989) To study the loss of nitrogen and measure
to minimize it. Ann Rep AEARC, Tandojam pp 89.
American Society of Agronomy (1982) Soil Chemical Analysis Part 2.
2nd Ed ASA Madison, Wis. 1982.
Darra BL, Jain SV and Ussman O (1968) The influence of different
green manure crops on soil structure and wheat yield. Ind J Agron 13:
162-164.
Magdoff FR and Amadon JR (1980) Yield trend and soil chemical changes
resulting from N and manure application to corn. Agron J 72:
161-164.
Naqvi BS, Sheikh D and Sheikh R (1987) Screening of plant for
antibacterial activity-11. Pak J Sci & Ind Res 30(1), 24- 28.
Ponnamperuma FN (1984) Straw as a source of nutrients for wetland
rice. pp 117-136. In: organic Matter and Rice. IRRI Los Banos.
Philippines.
Power JF and Legg JO (1978) Effect of crop residue on the soil
chemical environment and nutrient availability In: Crop Residue
Management System. Ed W.R. Oschwald ASAS. Spec Publ pp 80-110.
Sain P and Broadbent GE (1974) Decomposition of rice straw in soils
as affected by some environmental and management factors. p 130. In:
Agron Abst Annual Meeting Chicago, Illinois, USA.
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