Effect of PSB, FYM with variable levels of P on the yield attributes and productivity of black gram in Shiwalik hills of Himachal Pradesh

Pulses play an important role in sustainable food production aiming towards food security and nutrition. Phosphorus is a key element involved in various functions for growth and metabolism of pulses. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out during Kharif 2016 to evaluate the effect of seed inoculation and phosphorus levels on yield and quality of blackgram at the Research Farm of Research Sub Station (Berthin), Bilaspur (H.P). Experimental site was sandy clay loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction and medium in available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications and total sixteen treatment combinations consisting of two levels of Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) viz., no inoculation and with inoculation and four levels of phosphorus viz., control, 20, 30 and 40 kg P₂O₅/ha and two levels of FYM viz., control and 10 t/ha. The experiment revealed significantly higher yield attributes and productivity as obtained by application of Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) + Phosphorus (40 kg/ha) + FYM (10t/ha) as compared to other treatments.