Soil fertility status and nutrient uptake pattern in fodder maize and ricebean intercropping at varying nutrient levels

Sustaining soil fertility and enhancing fodder production on smallholder farms is a great challenge in the trans-gangetic plain (North-Western zone of Haryana state). Therefore, the present investigation on the effect of nutrient management practices on fodder maize and ricebean intercropping under irrigated conditions was conducted during the rainy season of 2019 at the ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with 14 treatments. The higher value of total fresh fodder (45.25 t ha⁻¹) and dry matter yield (10.93 t ha⁻¹) in maize + ricebean intercropping system in a 1:1 row ratio with 100% RDF and Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Thecomposition of macronutrient (N, P, K) and micronutrient (Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn) content along with uptake significantly improved under sole treatments, but it is comparable with 1:1 and 2:1 ratios receiving RDF + PGPR. The maximum total uptake was recorded in Maize + Ricebean (1:1) + 100% RDF + PGPR. Soil parameters such as pH, EC, organic carbon, available P and K content were not affected significantly. But significantly higher available N was in the sole ricebean plot and some intercropped plots receiving 100% RDF in both 1:1 and 2:1 ratio. The treatment of maize + ricebean (1:1) + 100% RDF + PGPR treatment enriched green and dry fodder yields with the fulfilment of qualitative fodder production along with maintaining the soil fertility.