Yield attributes, yield and uptake of nutrients as influenced by basal and foliar application of nutrients on rice fallow blackgram

An investigation was carried out to fine tune nutrient management techniques for improving the yield of rice fallow blackgram at the Wetlands of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in a split plot design. Three fertilizer application practices viz. recommended dose of fertilizer to preceding rice crop, recommended dose of fertilizer (last split through DAP based on N equivalent) to the preceding rice crop and basal application of fertilizer to blackgram of N and P₂O₅ @ 12.5: 25 kg ha⁻¹ (10 days prior to harvest of rice crop) formed the main plot treatments and foliar sprays viz., control, 1% urea, 2% DAP, 1% KCl and 2% DAP + 1% KCl twice at flowering and pod filling stages of crop growth constituted the subplot treatments. The treatments were replicated thrice. The results revealed that basal application of N and P₂O₅ fertilizers @ 12.5: 25 kg ha⁻¹ (10 days prior to harvest of rice crop) to blackgram favoured the nutrient uptake. Similarly the NPK uptake at harvest (64.64, 6.75 and 46.51 kg ha⁻¹) and yield (1037 kg ha⁻¹) were significantly influenced when foliar spray of 2% DAP + 1% KCl was given at flowering and pod filling stages of crop growth. Interaction between basal application of fertilizer N and P₂O₅ @ 12.5: 25 kg ha⁻¹ just before the harvesting of preceding rice crop along with foliar spray of 2% DAP + 1% KCl twice at flowering and pod filling stages was significant for NPK uptake, yield attributes and yield.