Effect of cow based bio-enhancers & irrigation scheduling based on IW/CPE ratio on growth & yield of summer green gram

Introduction

Pulses, including green gram (Vigna radiata L.), are essential to sustainable agriculture and nutrition, particularly in protein-deficient diets. As a short-duration, drought-resistant crop, green gram thrives across diverse farming systems, offering significant nutritional benefits such as high protein content and essential nutrients. Its role in nitrogen fixation also enhances soil fertility, contributing to environmental sustainability. Effective irrigation management is critical for optimizing green gram productivity, as the crop is sensitive to moisture stress. Additionally, organic inputs like Panchagavya and Jeevamrut have emerged as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fertilizers, promoting soil health and sustainable farming. This study investigates the combined effects of irrigation schedules and cow-based bio-enhancers on green gram's growth, yield, quality, water use efficiency, and economic viability, aiming to enhance sustainable agricultural practices. Despite its importance, the productivity of green gram in India remains suboptimal, primarily due to rainfed cultivation and poor soil fertility. Addressing these limitations requires an integrated approach that combines efficient irrigation management and the use of organic inputs. To this end, the present study was undertaken.

Materials & Methods

The present investigation entitled "Response of summer green gram (Vigna radiata L.) to irrigation scheduling based on IW/CPE ratio and cow based bio enhancers" was conducted under medium black calcareous soil, at Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh (Gujarat) during summer season of the year 2021. The field experiment comprising of total twelve different treatment combinations in which Main plot is 3 levels of irrigation schedules (0.6, 0.8 & 1.0 IW/CPE) and sub plot included 4 levels of fertilizer and cow based bio-enhances (F1: Control, F2: RDF, F3: 5 t/ha FYM+Jeevamrut @500 Liter/ha & F4: 5 t/ha FYM+Panchagavya @ 3%) were laid out in split plot design concept with three replications. Green gram variety GM-4 released in 2001 from GM 3 X Pusa 9333 through Pedigree selection for general cultivation in Gujarat. This high yielding variety of green gram was selected for present study due to it's under irrigated as well as rainfed condition and very high degree of resistance against disease and pest. The crop was raised with all the standard package of practices and protection measures also timely carried out as required. Jeevamrut application at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS with irrigation water & Panchagavya application at 20, 35 and 50 DAS as foliar spray The experimental data recorded for growth and yield parameters were statistically analysed for level of significance.

Result & Discussion A) Effect of Irrigation schedules 1. Effect on growth parameters

At harvest, the highest plant height (51.73 cm) was obtained with 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) which was significantly higher than 0.8 and 0.6 IW/CPE ratio. While significantly, lower plant height (46.09 cm) was noted with 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). These results are similar to those reported by Yadav and Singh (2014), Singh et al. (2018) [14] . Significantly higher dry matter accumulation was recorded when crop was irrigated at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ), while lower dry matter accumulation was produced under 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). Significant reduction in dry matter accumulation under 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ) due to soil moisture stress which resulted lower water supply impairs the photosynthesis and ultimately the lower dry matter accumulation, while improvement in dry matter accumulation under 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) might be due to the higher irrigation frequency increased availability of adequate moisture and nutrients in root zone of plant, thus enhance the uptake of nutrients which in turn boost up the meristematic activities, increases size of cells and formation and functioning of protoplasm resulted in higher dry matter accumulation. The results confirm the findings of Kaur (2014) [4] , Karande et al. (2019) [3] .

Effect on yield attributes

Number of pods per plant and pod length at harvest was increased significantly with increases in levels of irrigation schedules. Significantly higher number of pods per plant and pod length at harvest was recorded under scheduling irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) followed by 0.8 IW/CPE ratio (I 2 ). More number of pods per pods and pod length at harvest observed with 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) was evidently because due to maintenance of optimum soil moisture condition enhancing the growth processes resulting in number pods per plant. These results are in conformity with the findings of those reported by Behera (2015) [1] . The number of seeds per pod was significantly higher under irrigation treatment 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ), while lower number of seeds per pod was observed under 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). Less number of irrigation becomes detrimental for plant growth which resulted in poor seed setting and grain filling at 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). Optimum moisture condition prevailed in the root zone at optimum IW/CPE ratio resulted in better yield attributes reported by Parmar and Thanki (2007) [11] 3. Effect on yield Seed yield of green gram significantly increased with increases in levels of irrigation. Significantly the higher seed yield (1224 kg ha -1 ) was recorded under 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ). While significantly lowest seed yield (1015 kg ha -1 ) was recorded with 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). The higher seed yield observed with 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) might be due to adequate available soil moisture in the root zone throughout the crop growth period. It is reflected in higher growth parameters and dry matter production, which also reflected in development of better yield components and finally in pod yield. The present findings are in accordance with the findings of Patel et al. (2005) [12] . The results of stover yield showed an increasing trend with each successive irrigation schedule based on IW/CPE ratio. Significantly higher stover yield (2140 kg ha -1 ) was recorded under 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ). While, significantly lower stover yield (1722 kg ha -1 ) was observed under 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I 1 ). Maximum stover yield under 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (I 3 ) followed by 0.8 IW/CPE ratio (I 2 ) due to increased irrigation frequency increases the soil moisture status which in turn resulted into higher leaf water potential, stomata conductance and higher photosynthesis consequently increased the dry matter production and ultimately increased haulm yield. Increase in stover yield under higher irrigation level was also observed by Patel et al. (2005) [12] , Prajapati et al. (2006) [13] .

B) Effect of Fertilizer & cow based bio-enhancers 1. Effect on growth parameters

At harvest, significantly the higher values of growth parameters viz., plant height at harvest, number of branches per plant and dry matter accumulation per plant were observed with treatment of RDF @ 20:40:00 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 (F 1 ), which was at par with treatment of 5 t ha -1 FYM + Jeevamrut @ 500 Liters ha -1 with irrigation water at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS (F 2 ) and 5 t ha -1 FYM + Panchagavya @ 3 % as foliar spray at 20, 35 and 50 DAS (F 3 ). While the lower value of growth parameters were observed in the treatment control (F 0 ). Moreover the presence of growth enzymes in Panchagavya might have increased the activities of beneficial microorganisms in soil by application of FYM which ultimately resulted into improved nutrient availability for longer period and thus, beneficial effects on growth parameters of green gram. Similar findings have been reported by Panchal et al. (2017) [10] , Singh et al. (2018) [14] , Sutar et al. (2019) [15] and Machhar et al. (2021) [6] .

Effect on yield attributes

The treatment RDF @ 20:40:00 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 (F 2 ) excelled yield attributes viz., number of pods per plant, length of pod, number of seeds per pod and test weight, followed 5 t ha -1 FYM + Jeevamrut @ 500 Liters ha -1 with irrigation water at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS (F 2 ) and FYM @ 5 t ha -1 + Panchagavya @ 3 % as foliar spray at 20, 35 and 50 DAS (F 3 ). While, significantly the lowest values of these yield attributes were recorded under the treatment control (F 0 ). The treatment as 5 t ha -1 FYM + Jeevamrut @ 500 Liters ha -1 with irrigation water at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS (F 2 ) found superior than 5 t ha -1 FYM + Panchagavya @ 3 % as foliar spray at 20, 35 and 50 DAS (F 3 ). In case of Jeevamrut, all the yield attributing parameters were found higher which might be due to favorable effects of IAA, GA3, macro and micronutrients. The increase in the number of pod per plant might be due to the better availability of nutrients which enabled the increased yield. The increase in pods per plant and number of seeds per pod due to Panchagavya might be due to accumulated metabolites which get translocated towards the reproductive sinks and these in turn resulted in stimulation of different yield attributes. The quantities of IAA and GA present in Panchagavya when applied as foliar spray could have hastened length of pod resulting in maximum number of seed setting. It might have facilitated instant uptake of nutrients at optimum level which lead to the conversion of vegetative phase to reproductive phase. The present findings are in accordance with those earlier reported by Matai (2012) [8] , and Bhalodia (2018) [2] .

Effect on yield

Significantly the higher seed and stover yields were recorded under the treatment of RDF @ 20:40:00 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 (F 1 ) which remained stastically at par with 5 t ha -1 FYM + Jeevamrut @ 500 Liters ha -1 with irrigation water at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS (F 2 ) and 5 t ha -1 FYM + Panchagavya @ 3 % as foliar spray at 20, 35 and 50 DAS (F 3 ). Whereas, significantly the lower seed and stover yields were registered under the control (F 0 ). Since, yield of the crop is a function of several yield components which are dependent on complementary interaction between vegetative and reproductive growth of the crop. As most of growth and yield attributes contributed in seed yield of green gram evidently resulted in higher yield in treatments which get nitrogen and phosphorus through chemical fertilizers or FYM with bio enhancers appears to be on account of their influence on dry matter production might be due to greater synthesis of carbohydrate and their translocation and indirectly via increase in plant height, number of branches and possibly a result of higher uptake of nutrients. The present findings are in close agreement with the results obtained by Swaminathan et al. (2007) [16] , Manimekalai et al. (2010) [7] , Patil et al. (2012) [3] .

C) Interaction effect of both

Interaction effect between irrigation schedules and cow based bio enhancers were found significant with respect dry matter accumulation at harvest, number of pods per plant, seed and stover yield per hectare. The combination of irrigation scheduling at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio and application of RDF @ 20:40:00 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 (I3F1) recorded significantly maximum dry matter per plant and which was remained at par with combination of I 2 F 1 , and I 3 F 3 . Significantly highest number of pods per plant under treatment combinations of irrigation scheduling at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio and application of RDF @ 20:40:00 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 (I3F1) as compared to rest of the combinations and which was at par with combinations of I 2 F 1 , I 3 F 2 and I 3 F 3. Significantly higher seed yield per plant was recorded under the combination of irrigation scheduling at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio and application of RDF (I 3 F 1 ), but it was remained at par with I 3 F 2 and I 3 F 3 , which was significantly superior over rest of treatment combination. This was ascribed due to significant interactive effect of irrigation scheduling and chemical fertilizer application. Similar results were also reported by Kumar et al. (2017) [5] , Mondal et al. (2018) [9] and Singh et al. (2018) [14] .

Conclusion

On the basis of results obtained from one year field experimentation, it seems quite logical to conclude that higher growth, yield & quality from summer green gram (var. GM 4) can be secured by application of irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio (6-7 days interval) and 5 t ha -1 FYM + Jeevamrut @ 500 Liters ha -1 (at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS with irrigation) under medium black calcareous clayey soil of South Saurashtra Agro-climatic zone.

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