Phenology, productivity and profitability with phosphate and zinc solubilizing microbes in lentil (Lens culinaris L.) under tarai region of Uttarakhand

The field experiment was conducted at G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar during rabi 2020 on phosphorus and zinc efficacy with phosphate and zinc solubilizing microbes in lentil (Lens culinaris L.) in tarai region. Twelve different doses of phosphorus and zinc with phosphate and zinc solubilizing microbes in combinations were evaluated. Growth parametersviz. plant height, number of branches per plant, number of compound leaves per plant and dry matter accumulation were highest with application of 50% RDP @ 24 kg ha^-1 +12.5 kg ha^-1 ZnSO₄ + Biophos @ 5 ml kg^-1 seed + Biozinc @ 5 ml kg^-1 seed (40.5 cm, 14 no. plant^-1, 207 no. plant^-1, 8.2 g plant^-1, respectively) with respect to control (32.9 cm, 10.5 no. plant^-1, 136 no. plant^-1, 4.1 g plant^-1, respectively). Grain yield, harvest index, net returns and B: C ratio were also highest with the application of 50% RDP @ 24 kg ha^-1 +12.5 kg ha^-1 ZnSO₄ + Biophos @ 5 ml kg^-1 seed + Biozinc @ 5 ml seed (1735 kg ha^-1, 0.53, 58460 ₹ ha^-1, 2.51, respectively) with respect to control (1318 kg ha^-1, 0.34, 40231 ₹ ha^-1, 1.82, respectively).