Effect of Tank Silt Application on Productivity of rabi Sorghum and Soil Physico-Chemical Properties

The present study was carried out during the years 2008–09 and 2009–10 on farmer's field in Solapur district of Maharashtra. Ten test plots were chosen from five villages @ one acre/plot/farmer. The results showed that the tank silt application (treated plots) made a clear impact on yield enhancement of 8.1 q ha⁻¹, an increase of 158% in per ha net returns accrued and improvement in moisture use efficiency of 2.05 kg grain ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ over untreated plots in 2008–09. In 2009–10, the effect of tank silt application with ridges & furrows system on these three parameters was correspondingly 5.8 q ha⁻¹, 118% and 2.1 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ while it was 5.5 q ha⁻¹, 170% and 2.0 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ without ridges and furrows system, respectively. Tank silt application improved the available water content in the soil from 9.2 to11%, organic carbon from 0.30 to 0.38%, available P₂O₅ from 36.6 to 38.7 kg ha⁻¹ and available K₂O from 232.6 to 283.4 kg ha⁻¹.