Department of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India.
* Present Address: Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Research Centre, Bellary 583104, India.
A field experiment was conducted in vertisols during 1994–95 and 1995–96. Grain yield increased by 18 per cent with medium tillage and 45 per cent with deep tillage over shallow tillage. Among the organic materials used, application of subabul loppings increased the grain yield by 9 per cent over vermicompost. Under below normal years of rainfall application of 25 kg N ha−1 proved beneficial, whereas, during normal and above normal years of rainfall application of 50 kg N ha−1 proved beneficial for higher yields when part of nitrogen was substituted through organic materials. Grain yield of winter sorghum was positively correlated with soil moisture at different stages of crop growth. Bulk density in 8–17 and 18–27 cm soil depths was significantly and negatively correlated, whereas, infiltration rate was positively and significantly correlated with grain yield. Available nitrogen and potassium (0–15 and 15–30 cm) at harvest during 1994–95 and 1995–96 was positively and significantly correlated with grain yield. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake in different plant parts and total at harvest was significantly and positively correlated with winter sorghum grain yield.
