Effect of Sulphur and biofertilizer in nutrient uptake by sesame and microbial population in red and lateritic soil of West Bengal

The study was conducted in red and lateritic soils of West Bengal during pre-kharif season of 2016 on sandy loam soil of Agricultural Farm, Palli Siksha Bhavana, (Institute of Agriculture), Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bangal. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications using four levels of sulphur (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha⁻¹) and single and dual inoculation of bio fertilizers to study the nutrient uptake by sesame and soil fertility status along with microbial population before and after harvest of crop. The results showed highest value of different nutrients uptake viz., Nitrogen, Phoshorus, Potasium and Sulphur with higher dose of fertilizer along with Azotobacter and PSB. The number of nitrogen fixing bacteria i.e. Azotobector and Phosphorus Solubilizng Bacteria (PSB) in soil increased due to inoculation of seed with biofertilizer. The seed inoculation exerted significant effect on number of nitrogen fixing bacteria and PSB in soil. The study suggested that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer in sesame cultivation in red and laritic soils will exerts significant yield through important implications in nutrient uptake by sesame for its improved nutrition and improved productivity of soil.