Indian Journal of Agronomy

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2011–12 and 2012–13 at Agricultural Research Station, Annigeri (Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka-Zone-3), Dharwad, Karnataka, response of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) to in-situ green manuring and NP levels under rainfed condition. The experiment consisted of 4 green-manure crops, viz. sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea L), greengram [Vigna radiata (L) R. Wilczek], cowpea [Vigna unjuiculata (L.) Walp] and fallow, grown during the rainy season 4 fertility levels to succeeding safflower (0: 0, 20: 20, 30: 30 and 40: 40 N: P₂O₅ kg/ha) during the winter (rabi) season. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 3 replications. Among the green manures, incorporation cowpea and sunnhemp resulted in significantly higher safflower seed yield (1.25 and 1.15 t/ha), net returns(22, 319 and 19, 551) and benefit: cost ratio (3.17 and 2.89), respectively, than greengram and fallow treatments. Among the fertility levels, higher fertility level (40: 40 N: P₂O₅ kg/ha) recorded significantly higher seed yield (1.32 t/ha), net returns (x23, 833/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (3.25) than lower fertility levels. Among the interaction, significantly higher seed yield (1.57 and 1.42 t/ha), net returns (30, 227 and 26, 263/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (3.85 and 3.45), respectively, were recorded in cowpea and sunnhemp plots coupled with higher fertility level (40: 40 N: P₂O₅ kg/ha) than fallow-safflower system with higher fertility level.