Influence of Different Nitrogen and Phosphorus Levels on Profitability, Plant Nutrient Content, Yield and Quality in Basmati Cultivars

The present study entitled “Influence of different nitrogen and phosphorus levels on profitability, plant nutrient content, yield and quality in basmati cultivars” was carried out at Research Farm of College of Agriculture, Kaul (Kaithal) Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during kharif season of 2010 on clay loam alkaline soil, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in phosphorus and high in potassium. The treatments consisted of four cultivars (CSR 30, HKR03–408, Pusa Basmati 1 and Pusa Basmati 1121) and six NP levels laid out in split-plot design with three replications, keeping cultivars in main plots and NP levels in sub plots. The number of tillers increased with the age of crop up to 60 days after transplanting (DAT) and thereafter, slight reduction was recorded at 90 DAT. Pusa basmati 1121 was found best as it gave the highest grain yield, net income, benefit cost ratio, longest kernel and length breadth ratio than all other cultivars. Pusa Basmati 1121 showed maximum uptake than tall cultivars. Increasing NP levels significantly increased all the crop growth parameters viz., plant height, tillers/m², dry matter accumulation. The yield contributing characters (panicles/m², grains/panicle), yield (grain and straw), net profit and benefit cost ratio were higher with N₉₀P₄₅kg ha⁻¹. Application of N₉₀P₄₅kg ha⁻¹ also showed highest nitrogen and phosphorous uptake.