Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of Soybean - Maize sequence and soil health in acidic soil of Mizoram

Abstract

Proper integration of nutrient is beneficial for soil health and plant growth and yield characteristics. Two-year experiment was conducted in acidic terrace soils of ICAR RC NEH Region farm, Mizoram Centre where kharif soybean is followed by rabi maize. Agricultural lime and chemical fertilizer integrated with vermicompost and FYM were used as treatment combinations. Results suggested that growth and yield parameters of soybean and maize such as plant height, no of branches per plant, no of pods per plant, cob length and girth of maize, and grain yield were significantly increased due to the application of lime and higher dose of chemical fertilizers, and integration with organic manures. Soil pH, available N, P and K were increased due to liming. Liming and fertilizer integrated with manures also increased the dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase enzyme activity of soil. The experiment suggests that liming material and integration of chemical fertilizer with organic manures are important to increase the soil health, plant growth and yield in acidic terrace soils of Mizoram.