Potash fertilization for enhancing the productivity of pearlmillet-safflower sequence under dryland condition

This paper shows higher yields of dryland crops (pearlmillet and safflower) with application of potash. The net returns and B:C ratio of pearlmillet–safflower were higher with potash application. This is significant as these field crops are important crops grown in semi-arid conditions of western Maharashtra, but farmers do not apply any potash and yields are very low. These results show the potential of including potash fertilizer for these dryland crops.

This is the output of the IPI project “Potash Fertilizer Management in Dryland Crops of Scarcity Zone of Maharashtra” carried out at Solapur, with the Zonal Agricultural Research Station and under the supervision of PFL project in this region.

Abstract

Indian Rainfed and Dryland agriculture is predominantly dependant on monsoon rainfall accounts for 72% in India of the net cultivated area in India and plays an important role in country’s economy. Generally farmers takes only one crop, either sorghum or safflower on medium deep black soils in scarcity zone of Maharashtra. However, taking double or sequence cropping may be one of the alternative for doubling the farmers income. Keeping such aspects in view the present investigation on potash fertilizer management in dryland field crops viz. pearlmillet-safflower sequence is undertaken, with objectives i.e. i) To Maintain higher potassium status in soil and ii) To study the effects of potassium levels on yield and moisture use efficiency and monetary returns of sequence crops. The field experiments with different potash fertilizer levels for pearlmillet-safflower was undertaken at AICRPDLA, Solapur for three years (2015-2016 to 2017-18) with three replications in randomized block design for kharif crop and split plot design for rabi crop. In the sequence cropping of pearlmillet – safflower showed significantly higher yield and MUE of kharif pearlmillet with application of 50 kg K₂O ha^-1, rabi safflower and Rabi safflower with 20 kg K₂O ha^-1 respectively. The non-exchangeable K increased with increase in potassium application to both crops, which could be maintained the exchangeable and water soluble K in soil solution, which might be contributed to significantly higher uptake of K and moisture use efficiency by both the crops as compared to farmers practice.

Keywords: Potash fertilization, pearlmillet-safflower sequence, potassium fractions, dryland