Indian Journal of Dryland Agricultural Research and Development

A field experiment was conducted during 2008–09 to 2012–13 on deep soil (Inceptisol) at Zonal Agricultural Research Station farm to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management in non-spiny safflower (cv. NH-1) under dryland conditions of scarcity zone of Maharashtra. Application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P₂O₅/ha through integrated nutrient management (50% through organics + 50% through chemical fertilizers) and pest and disease control by IPM recorded significantly higher grain, straw and petal yield (1250, 3025 and 119 kg/ha, respectively), total N uptake (45.84 kg/ha) and oil content (31.9%) with highest gross ( 104977/ha), net returns ( 83664/ha) and 4.93 benefit:cost ratio. The improvement of soil fertility observed with respect to available N, P and K was prominent with the application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P₂O₅/ha through integrated nutrient management (50% through organics + 50% through chemical fertilizers) and pest and disease control by IPM. The soil organic carbon and soil biological properties in terms of total bacteria, fungi, actinomycestes, N fixer and P solubilizer were increased with the application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P₂O₅/ha adjusted through FYM, neem cake and leucaena loppings, PSB + Azotobacter seed treatment for pest and disease control by Tricoderma seed treatment + neem oil sprays thrice at 15, 30 and 45 DAS followed by INM.