Work

Growth response of maize and mungbean to integrated nutrient management under a maize–mungbean cropping system

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Integrated nutrient management (INM) is an important approach for improving crop growth through the balanced supply of nutrients from inorganic and organic sources. A two-year field experiment was conducted during Kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate the direct and residual effects of INM practices on the growth parameters of maize and mungbean under a maize–mungbean cropping system. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications and eleven nutrient management treatments comprising different combinations of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), poultry manure, Beejamrit seed treatment and Jeevamrit spray. Growth observations were recorded at different crop growth stages, including plant height, dry matter accumulation and physiologically active leaves in maize, and plant height, branches plant-1 and other vegetative growth parameters in mungbean. In maize, growth increased with integrated nutrient application, with 125% RDF (T11) recording the highest plant height, dry matter accumulation and number of physiologically active leaves, while T10 (100% RDF + 25% N through poultry manure + Beejamrit + Jeevamrit) followed closely. In mungbean, T10 consistently recorded the highest growth, with pooled plant height of 15.91 cm at 30 DAS and 41.40 cm at harvest, along with 3.54 branches plant-1. The lowest growth values were generally observed under 100% RDF alone (T1). The improved growth under integrated nutrient management may be associated with a more balanced nutrient supply and the beneficial contribution of organic and biological inputs to crop establishment and vegetative development. The results indicate that appropriate integration of inorganic fertilizers with poultry manure, Beejamrit and Jeevamrit can substantially improve the growth performance of maize and mungbean under the studied cropping system.

Source: International Journal of Research in Agronomy

DOI: 10.33545/2618060x.2026.v9.i9q.6684