Assessing the Influence of Bioinputs on the Performance of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) under Natural Farming Practices

Abstract

Natural farming practices, inclusive of inputs like biocultures (Beejamrutha, Jeevamrutha, etc.), native biofertilizers and biopesticides, organic manures, and crop residues, are gaining attention as an alternative for conventional inputs for addressing modern agricultural challenges of chemical pollution, soil degradation, loss of soil biodiversity and impaired biological interactions in agroecosystems. The effect of these biological inputs on crop growth and soil fertility is likely to be influenced by soil type and other local environmental conditions, especially in acidic soils under hilly agroecosystems. This study evaluated the different combinations of biocultures, native biofertilizer, organic manure and crop residue on growth and yield of pea crop and soil fertility in a strongly acid Inceptisol in mid hills of Meghalaya. A pot experiment was laid out during the rabi season, 2023-24, in the Factorial Completely Randomized Design with two different factors, viz., soil management (M) and seed treatments (S). The soil management factor consisted of treatments: M1, organic manure (OM); M2, OM + Crop Residue mulch (CR); M3, OM + Jeevamrutha (JM); M4, OM + CR + JM; and the Seed treatment factor included treatments: S1: No seed treatment (SO); S2: Beejamrutha (BJ); S3: Biofertilizer (BIO). Results showed that the M4 treatment (Organic Manure + Crop Residue mulch + Jeevamrutha) had the most significant effect on soil chemical parameters, particularly with respect to availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and also significantly increased the growth, yield and uptake of these nutrients in pea crop. Although seed treatments could not influence the soil parameters, pea crop growth and yield were significantly influenced by the seed treatments, especially with the biofertilizer treatment. Therefore, a biofertilizer consortium may be included along with natural farming soil management components as a potential option for improved performance of the pea crop in acid soil.