Effect of summer forage crops and phosphogypsum-enriched urea on productivity of basmati rice (Oryza sativa)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system

A field experiment was conducted during 2007-08 and 2008-09 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (TART), New Delhi to study the productivity of summer forage crops and their effect in conjunction with phosphogypsum-enriched urea (PGEU) on yield, quality and nitrogen use-efficiency in basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.); and to study the residual effect of different treatments on succeeding wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend Fiori and Paol]. Among the three forage crops grown during summer, pearlmillet+cowpea mixture recorded significantly higher fodder yields compared to sole pearlmillet and sole cowpea. In basmati rice, growth and yield attributes were influenced significantly due to preceding forage crops. Application of variable concentrations of PGEU had significant effect on growth and yield attributes of basmati rice except 1000-grain weight. Significantly higher yield of basmati rice was recorded when it was grown after the harvest of cowpea as compared to other treatments. Similarly, significantly higher yield was recorded with 7.5% PGEU. Different summer forage crops and PGEU applied to basmati rice left significant residual effect on succeeding wheat.