Productivity, nutrient indices and soil nutrient status of short grain aromatic rice-green gram system as influenced by integrated nutrient management strategies

New age challenges of irrational use of fertilizers under monocropping of rice calls for integrative nutrient management strategy along with establishment of rice based cropping system. A field study was carried out in 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India to investigate the integrated nutrient management strategies on productivity, nutrient indices and soil nutrient status in short grain aromatic rice-green gram cropping system. The experiment was set up in split plot design with six nutrient management strategies in rice were taken in main plot in randomized block design and three nutrient management strategies in green gram were taken as sub plot in split-plot design in sequence. Results revealed that application of 50% NPK+ 50% Recommended Dose of Nitrogen (RDN)-FYM to rice followed by 75% NPK + Rhizobium + Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria to green gram recorded the highest rice equivalent yield and production efficiency in 2017-18 and 2018-19 followed by 50% NPK+ 50% RDN-FYM to rice followed by 100% NPK to green gram. Application of 50% NPK+ 50% RDN-FYM to rice and 75% NPK + Rhizobium + PSB to green gram recorded the highest partial factor productivity of nitrogen, nitrogen utilization efficiency and nitrogen uptake efficiency in the system. Soil nutrient status of the cropping system improved with balanced application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients compared to mineral fertilizers only. Thus, supplementing FYM and sesbania as organic manures along with reduced dose of inorganic fertilizers improved sustainability of rice-green gram system along with improving soil fertility.