PATIL S. L., SHEELAVANTAR M. N., HUNSHAL C. S., SURKOD V. S.
Abstract
Deep tillage as compared to shallower tillage depths improved the root growth, increased the grain yield, gross returns, net returns and benefit cost ratio of winter sorghum. Grain yield increased by 23 and 57% during 1994-95 and 14 and 34% during 1995-96 in medium and deep tillage, respectively, over shallow tillage. Greater root length (67.0 cm), root spread (53.1 cm) and root weight (13.62 g) was observed in deep tillage as compared to medium and shallow tillage. Deep tillage recorded significantly higher gross returns (400.87 and 385.35 $ ha-1), net returns (197.35 and 182.30 $ ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (1.97 and 1.90) during 1994-95 and 1995-96, respectively. Among organic materials, application of Leucaena loppings as compared to vermicompost increased the grain yield by 9% (mean of 1994-95 and 1995-96), improved the root growth, gross and net returns and benefit cost ratio over farmyard manure and vermicompost. Grain yield increased significantly after application of 25 kg N ha-1 during 1994-95 and 50 kg N ha-1 during 1995-96. Greater net returns (275.43 $ ha-1), benefit cost ratio (2.51) were observed in deep tillage with application of Leucaena loppings and 25 kg N ha-1 during 1994-95, whereas, during 1995-96 a further increase in N application to 50 kg ha-1 increased the gross returns (465.34 $ ha-1), net returns (283.27 $ ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (2.56).
Key words:
black soil, root growth, deep tillage, organic materials, nitrogen, economics.