Effect of integrated nutrient management practices on growth, yield, and economics of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea l.)

Introduction

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important annual oilseed-legume crop of the family Fabaceae, widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions due to its high nutritional, economic, and industrial value. It serves as both a food and cash crop, contributing significantly to nutritional security, edible oil production, livestock feed, and rural livelihoods. Known as the "King of Oilseeds," groundnut kernels contain about 45-50% oil and 25-30% protein, along with carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins (A, E, and B-complex), minerals, and antioxidant compounds (Upadhyaya et al., 2020; Bishi et al., 2020; Kumar et al., 2022) [4,16,33] . The crop is consumed in various forms such as roasted nuts, peanut butter, confectionery, and edible oil.

Its haulm is valuable fodder, while shells are used in industrial products, enhancing its economic importance (Nigam et al., 2019; Singh et al., 2023) [22,30] . Globally, groundnut is cultivated on about 30 million hectares with production exceeding 55 million tonnes, with Asia and Africa contributing nearly 90% of the output (FAOSTAT, 2024). China and India are leading producers. In India, it occupies around 5-6 million hectares with production of 10-12 million tonnes. Major producing states include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. However, the average productivity (1.6-2.0 t ha⁻¹) remains below its potential, indicating scope for improvement (ICAR-DGR, 2024; FAOSTAT, 2024) [12] . Low productivity in India is mainly due to factors such as erratic rainfall, moisture stress, poor soil fertility, nutrient deficiencies (especially phosphorus, sulphur, calcium, boron, and zinc), low organic carbon, and imbalanced fertilizer use (Meena et al., 2021; Kumar and Yadav, 2022) [15,20] . Continuous cultivation without proper nutrient replenishment has degraded soil health, affecting root growth, nutrient uptake, and pod development (Jat et al., 2021; Sharma et al., 2023) [13,28] . Hence, balanced nutrient management is essential for sustaining productivity. Phosphorus is a key nutrient for groundnut growth, playing a vital role in energy transfer, cell division, photosynthesis, and root development (Marschner, 2012) [19] . Adequate phosphorus enhances nodulation, flowering, peg formation, and pod development, ultimately improving yield and oil content (Baligar et al., 2018; Meena et al., 2023) [2,21] . However, its availability is often limited due to fixation in soils, reducing fertilizer efficiency (Vance et al., 2003; Kumar et al., 2022) [16,34] . Excessive use of chemical fertilizers has improved yields but also caused soil degradation, reduced microbial activity, and nutrient imbalance (Ladha et al., 2020; Jat et al., 2021) [13,17] . This has increased the need for integrated nutrient management (INM), which combines inorganic fertilizers with organic and biological inputs to improve nutrient use efficiency and maintain soil health (Mahajan et al., 2021) [18] . Organic sources like vermicompost improve soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity while supplying nutrients gradually (Atiyeh et al., 2002; Singh et al., 2022) [1,29] . Biofertilizers such as Rhizobium enhance biological nitrogen fixation, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and improving crop growth (Peoples et al., 2009; Giller, 2019) [10] . Similarly, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve phosphorus uptake, water absorption, and stress tolerance (Smith and Read, 2008) [31] . Combined use of these inputs often results in better growth and yield due to synergistic effects (Smith et al., 2015; Verma et al., 2023) [32,35] . Vermicompost further enhances soil fertility by improving porosity, nutrient availability, and microbial biomass (Edwards et al., 2011; Sinha et al., 2019) [8] . In addition, liquid bio-stimulants containing amino acids, humic substances, and plant growth regulators improve physiological processes, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance, leading to higher productivity (du Jardin, 2015; Calvo et al., 2014) [5,7] . Studies have shown that integrated application of phosphorus, vermicompost, Rhizobium, and mycorrhiza improves growth, yield, nutrient uptake, and soil health in groundnut (Jat et al., 2021; Kumar et al., 2022; Meena et al., 2023; Sharma et al., 2023) [13,15,16,21,28] . However, responses vary with soil and climatic conditions, highlighting the need for location-specific recommendations. The alluvial soils of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh are characterized by low organic carbon and moderate phosphorus levels, with declining biological activity. Limited information is available on integrated nutrient management practices under these conditions. Therefore, identifying an efficient and economical nutrient management strategy is essential for improving productivity and soil health. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different integrated nutrient management practices on the growth, yield, soil fertility, soil biological properties, and economics of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh. The findings are expected to provide practical recommendations for enhancing productivity, maintaining soil health, and improving profitability under alluvial soil conditions.

Materials and Methods

The experiment on integrated nutrient management in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was conducted during Kharif 2025-26 at the Research Farm of FASAI, Rama University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The site lies at 26°29′ N latitude and 80°18′ E longitude with an altitude of 126 m above mean sea level. The climate is subtropical with hot summers, cool winters and monsoon rainfall (June-September). About 80-85% of rainfall occurs during the monsoon. Temperature ranged from 31.4-37.8°C (maximum) and 22.1-26.4°C (minimum), with relatively high humidity during crop growth. Soil samples (0-15 cm) were collected before sowing and analyzed. The soil was sandy loam, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8-8.0), with low electrical conductivity (<0.30 dS m⁻¹) and organic carbon (0.45-0.55%). It was low in nitrogen and medium in phosphorus and potassium. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 11 treatments and 3 replications. Treatments included different phosphorus levels alone or combined with vermicompost, Rhizobium, Myco F. UNO and bio-stimulant. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising eleven treatments with three replications. The treatments consisted of different combinations of inorganic phosphorus, organic manure and biofertilizers. Treatment T₁ served as the absolute control without any fertilizer or manure application, while T₂ received the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) @ 20:40:20 kg N₂O₅₂O ha⁻¹. Treatment T₃ consisted of 30 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium, whereas T₄ comprised 30 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + vermicompost. Treatments T₅ and T₆ received 45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ in combination with Rhizobium and vermicompost, respectively. Similarly, T₇ and T₈ consisted of 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ combined with Rhizobium and vermicompost, respectively. Treatment T₉ included the integrated application of 45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + vermicompost, while T₁₀ comprised 45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + liquid bio-stimulant. The final treatment, T₁₁, consisted of 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + liquid bio-stimulant. These treatment combinations were designed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of inorganic phosphorus, organic nutrient sources and beneficial microbial inoculants on the growth, productivity, soil health and economics of groundnut under the alluvial soil conditions of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh.2.4 Crop A suitable groundnut variety was sown after proper land preparation. Seeds were treated with Rhizobium and biostimulant as per treatments. Myco F. UNO was applied in soil. Sowing was done at 40 × 20 cm spacing using 100-120 kg seed ha⁻¹. Nitrogen and potassium were applied uniformly, while phosphorus was applied as per treatments. Vermicompost was incorporated before sowing. Standard agronomic practices were followed. Growth parameters (plant height, branches, leaf area index) were recorded at different stages. Nodulation was studied at 60 DAS. Yield attributes (pods per plant, kernels per pod, 100-kernel weight) and yields (pod and haulm) were recorded at harvest. Soil properties and microbial activity were analyzed after harvest. Economic analysis included cost, returns and benefit-cost ratio. Data were analyzed using ANOVA for RBD. Treatment differences were tested at 5% significance using F-test and Critical Difference (CD). Standard error (SEm) was also calculated. The field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season 2025-26 at the Research Farm, Rama University, Kanpur. The soil was sandy loam with pH 7.8-8.0, organic carbon 0.45-0.55%, and medium fertility status.Design: Randomized Block Design with 11 treatments and 3 replications. Variety: Highyielding bunch-type groundnut variety suitable for the region. Spacing: 40 cm × 20 cm Seed rate: 100-120 kg ha⁻¹

Results and Discussion

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Growth Parameters of Groundnut

Growth is one of the most reliable indicators of crop response to nutrient management and directly influences the productivity of groundnut. Integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, organic manures and beneficial microorganisms significantly improved plant growth, leaf development and nodulation over the control. The analysis of variance revealed that all the growth parameters were significantly influenced by different integrated nutrient management treatments, indicating the positive role of balanced nutrient supply and biological inputs in promoting vegetative growth and root development (Singh et al., 2019; Kumar and Yadav, 2020) [15,29] . The data presented in Table 2 clearly indicate that integrated nutrient management practices exerted a significant influence on all the growth parameters of groundnut. Among the treatments, T₁₀ (45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant) consistently recorded the highest values for plant height (48.7 cm), number of branches (11.3 plant⁻¹), leaf area index (5.12), nodules per plant (81.5), fresh nodule weight (298.4 mg plant⁻¹) and dry nodule weight (85.6 mg plant⁻¹). The superiority of this treatment demonstrated the synergistic interaction among inorganic phosphorus, organic nutrient sources and beneficial microorganisms, which collectively improved nutrient availability, root proliferation and physiological efficiency (Patel et al., 2021) [23] . Plant height increased significantly from 28.4 cm under the control (T₁) to 48.7 cm under T₁₀, representing an increase of nearly 71.5% over the untreated control. Similarly, treatments T₂ and T₃ recorded plant heights of 35.6 cm and 37.2 cm, respectively, indicating progressive improvement with nutrient addition. The number of branches increased from 4.1 in T₁ to 11.3 branches plant⁻¹ in T₁₀, while intermediate treatments such as T₅ (8.1 branches) and T₉ (9.4 branches) also showed considerable improvement. The leaf area index improved from 2.18 in control to 5.12 in T₁₀, with treatments T₇ (4.12), T₈ (4.05) and T₉ (4.48) also exhibiting higher values compared to lower input treatments.

The improvement in vegetative growth can be attributed to the continuous and balanced nutrient supply provided through vermicompost together with enhanced phosphorus availability and biological nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium. In addition, Myco F. UNO and the liquid bio-stimulant likely stimulated root growth, chlorophyll synthesis, enzymatic activity and photosynthetic efficiency, resulting in greater dry matter accumulation and vigorous crop growth. Similar improvements in growth parameters of groundnut under integrated nutrient management have been reported by Joshi and Patel (2021) [14,23] and Sharma et al. (2020) [20] , who observed that the integration of inorganic fertilizers with vermicompost and Rhizobium significantly enhanced vegetative growth and productivity. Nodulation was markedly influenced by integrated nutrient management. Treatment T₁₀ produced the maximum 81. [20] and Gupta et al. (2019) in groundnut and other legumes where combined application of phosphorus, biofertilizers and organic manures significantly increased nodulation and nitrogen fixation. The performance of treatment T₁₁ was statistically comparable with T₁₀ for several growth parameters but remained slightly inferior despite receiving a higher phosphorus dose (60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹). Treatment T₁₁ recorded plant height of 47.9 cm, 10.9 branches plant⁻¹, leaf area index of 4.98, 78.4 nodules plant⁻¹, fresh nodule weight of 285.2 mg and dry nodule weight of 82.3 mg. This finding suggests that increasing phosphorus beyond the optimum level did not produce additional growth benefits when adequate nutrients and biological inputs were already available.

The results indicate that balanced nutrient management rather than excessive fertilizer application is more effective for achieving maximum crop growth. Similar conclusions have been reported by Verma et al. (2020) [35] and Singh and Kumar (2021) [29] , where integrated nutrient management involving moderate fertilizer doses with organic amendments and microbial inoculants proved superior to higher doses of chemical fertilizers alone.

Among the intermediate treatments, T₉ also recorded appreciably higher plant height (43. [25] and Choudhary et al. (2020) [6] that integrated nutrient management enhances soil physical, chemical and biological properties, resulting in better crop growth, nutrient uptake and sustainable productivity.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Yield Attributes and Yield of Groundnut

Yield attributes are the ultimate expression of vegetative growth and reproductive efficiency of a crop and are greatly influenced by balanced nutrient availability throughout the crop growth period. The integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, organic manures and biofertilizers significantly improved the yield attributes and yield of groundnut over the control. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences among treatments for pods plant⁻¹, kernels pod⁻¹, 100-kernel weight, pod yield, haulm yield, biological yield and harvest index (Table 2). The data presented in Table 3 clearly demonstrate that integrated nutrient management practices significantly enhanced all yield attributes and yield parameters of groundnut. Among all the treatments, T₁₀ (45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant) recorded the highest values for pods per plant (38.6), kernels per pod (2.05), 100kernel weight (46.5 g), pod yield (33.2 q ha⁻¹), haulm yield (49.4 q ha⁻¹), biological yield (82.6 q ha⁻¹) and harvest index (40.2%), indicating the superiority of integrated nutrient management over individual nutrient application. Pod yield, being the principal economic yield, increased markedly from 8.4 q ha⁻¹ under the control (T₁) to 33.2 q ha⁻¹ under T₁₀, representing an increase of approximately 295% over the untreated control and about 73% over the recommended dose of fertilizers (T₂). Likewise, haulm yield increased from 19.2 q ha⁻¹ in T₁ to 49.4 q ha⁻¹ in T₁₀, while biological yield increased from 27.6 q ha⁻¹ to 82.6 q ha⁻¹. The remarkable improvement in yield can be attributed to balanced nutrient availability throughout the crop growth period, enhanced root development, efficient biological nitrogen fixation, greater photosynthetic activity and improved translocation of assimilates from source to sink. Similar findings have been reported by Sharma et al. (2020) [26] , Kumar et al. (2022) [16] and Meena et al. (2023) [21] , who observed significant enhancement in pod yield and biomass production through integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, vermicompost and biofertilizers. [23] , Verma et al. (2020) and Singh and Kumar (2021) [29] .

Treatment T₁₁, which received a higher phosphorus dose (60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) along with the same organic and biological inputs, produced pod yield of 31.9 q ha⁻¹, haulm yield of 47.8 q ha⁻¹ and biological yield of 79.7 q ha⁻¹, remaining statistically at par with T₁₀ for several parameters. However, the slightly lower values compared with T₁₀ suggest that increasing phosphorus beyond the optimum level did not proportionately increase yield. This indicates that 45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ in combination with vermicompost and microbial inoculants was sufficient to satisfy crop nutrient demand under the prevailing soil conditions. Similar results have been documented by Jat et al. (2021) [13] , who concluded that balanced nutrient application is more beneficial than excessive fertilizer use for maximizing nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity. Among the intermediate treatments, T₉ also performed exceptionally well, producing 32.4 pods plant⁻¹, 42.3 g test weight, 27.6 q ha⁻¹ pod yield and 43.5 q ha⁻¹ haulm yield.

Treatments receiving phosphorus together with either Rhizobium or vermicompost (T₅-T₈) consistently outperformed those receiving lower phosphorus doses (T₃ and T₄), confirming the beneficial role of integrated nutrient management in improving reproductive growth and yield formation. Vermicompost not only supplied nutrients but also improved soil physical properties and microbial activity, while Rhizobium enhanced nitrogen fixation and nutrient uptake. The combined action of these inputs resulted in better peg formation, higher pod retention and improved kernel development, ultimately leading to increased economic yield.

Comparable findings have been reported by Reddy et al. (2019) [25] , Choudhary et al. (2020) [6] and Kumar et al. (2022).

Harvest index also improved significantly with integrated nutrient management, increasing from 30.4% under the control to 40.2%

under T₁₀. The higher harvest index indicates greater efficiency in partitioning photosynthates towards economic yield under balanced nutrient supply. Improved nutrient availability, higher photosynthetic efficiency and better source-sink relationship collectively enhanced the conversion of total biomass into pod yield. Similar improvements in harvest index under integrated nutrient management have been reported in groundnut by Sharma et al. (2022) [27] and Meena et al. (2023) [21] .

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Postharvest Soil Fertility

Soil fertility is one of the most important indicators of the sustainability of nutrient management practices, as it determines the long-term productive capacity of agricultural soils. The incorporation of organic manures together with inorganic fertilizers and beneficial microorganisms not only supplies nutrients to the crop but also improves the physico-chemical properties of the soil after harvest. In the present investigation, integrated nutrient management practices significantly influenced post-harvest soil fertility parameters including soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium. The results are presented in Table 3. The data presented in Table 4 revealed that integrated nutrient management significantly improved post-harvest soil fertility compared with the control. Treatment T₁₀ (45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid biostimulant) recorded the highest soil organic carbon (0.65%), available nitrogen (202 kg ha⁻¹), available phosphorus (29.8 kg ha⁻¹) and available potassium (295 kg ha⁻¹). These values were significantly superior to the control and most of the other treatments, indicating that integrated nutrient management not only enhanced crop productivity but also enriched the soil nutrient reserve. Organic carbon increased substantially from 0.42% under the control (T₁) to 0.65% under T₁₀, representing an improvement of nearly 55%. The increase in soil organic carbon may be attributed to the incorporation of vermicompost, which supplied stabilized organic matter and humic substances to the soil. Vermicompost also stimulated microbial decomposition and humification processes, leading to greater carbon sequestration and improved soil aggregation. Similar increases in soil organic carbon following integrated nutrient management have been reported by Ladha et al. (2020) [17] , Jat et al. (2021) [13] and Kumar et al. (2022), who observed that continuous addition of organic amendments substantially improved soil quality and nutrient cycling.

Available nitrogen also increased markedly under integrated nutrient management. The maximum available nitrogen (202 kg ha⁻¹) was recorded under T₁₀, followed closely by T₁₁ (200 kg ha⁻¹) and T₉ (198 kg ha⁻¹), whereas the control recorded only 148 kg ha⁻¹. The higher nitrogen availability may be attributed to effective biological nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium, increased mineralization of organic nitrogen from vermicompost and enhanced microbial activity in the rhizosphere. The gradual release of nitrogen from vermicompost synchronized well with crop demand, thereby reducing nutrient losses and improving residual soil fertility. Similar findings were reported by Peoples et al. (2009), Giller (2019) [10] and Sharma et al. (2022) [27] , who demonstrated that integration of biofertilizers with organic nutrient sources significantly increased soil nitrogen availability after legume cultivation. Available phosphorus showed a progressive increase with increasing levels of integrated nutrient management. Treatment T₁₀ recorded the highest available phosphorus (29.8 kg ha⁻¹), which was significantly higher than the control (16.5 kg ha⁻¹). Improved phosphorus availability can be attributed to the direct application of phosphorus fertilizers together with enhanced solubilization by Rhizobium and mycorrhizal fungi. The extensive hyphal network of arbuscular mycorrhiza increased phosphorus absorption from soil microsites beyond the depletion zone, while organic acids released during decomposition of vermicompost reduced phosphorus fixation in the alkaline soil.

Similar observations have been reported by Smith and Read (2008) [31] , Meena et al. (2023) [21] and Verma et al. (2023) [35] , who observed improved phosphorus availability under integrated application of chemical fertilizers, organic manures and mycorrhizal inoculation.

Available potassium also increased significantly from 228 kg ha⁻¹ under the control to 295 kg ha⁻¹ under T₁₀. The increase in available potassium may be attributed to the release of exchangeable potassium from vermicompost and enhanced weathering of potassium-bearing minerals due to increased microbial activity. Improved soil physical conditions under organic amendments also reduced nutrient losses and promoted greater retention of exchangeable potassium in the soil.

Comparable findings have been reported by Choudhary et al.

(2020) [6] , Singh et al. (2022) [30] and Kumar et al. (2022), who reported significant improvements in available potassium following integrated nutrient management in oilseed and legume crops.

Although treatment T₁₁ received a higher phosphorus dose (60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹), it remained statistically at par with T₁₀ for most soil fertility parameters, indicating that application of phosphorus beyond the optimum level produced only marginal improvement in residual soil fertility. On the other hand, treatments receiving vermicompost either alone or in combination with Rhizobium (T₆, T₈ and T₉) consistently recorded higher soil fertility than treatments receiving only inorganic phosphorus. These findings clearly emphasize the beneficial role of organic nutrient sources in improving nutrient retention, microbial activity and overall soil quality.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Economics of Groundnut

Economic evaluation is one of the most important criteria for assessing the practical feasibility and profitability of any nutrient management practice. Although certain integrated nutrient management practices increase the initial cost of cultivation due to the inclusion of organic manures and microbial inoculants, the additional expenditure is often compensated by higher crop productivity and greater economic returns. The economics of groundnut cultivation under different integrated nutrient management treatments was evaluated in terms of cost of cultivation, gross returns, net returns and benefit-cost (B:C) ratio.

The results are presented in Table 4. The economic analysis (Table 6) revealed that integrated nutrient management practices significantly influenced the profitability of groundnut cultivation. The cost of cultivation increased progressively with the addition of organic manures, biofertilizers and bio-stimulants because of the higher cost of these inputs. The minimum cost of cultivation (₹28,400 ha⁻¹) was recorded under the control (T₁), whereas the maximum cost (₹51,200 ha⁻¹) was incurred under T₁₁, followed closely by T₁₀ (₹49,500 ha⁻¹). Despite the relatively higher cultivation cost, the integrated nutrient management treatments generated substantially greater economic returns due to their superior productivity. Among all the treatments, T₁₀ (45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant) proved to be the most profitable treatment by recording the highest gross return (₹1,66,000 ha⁻¹), net return (₹1,16,500 ha⁻¹) and benefitcost ratio (3.35). The remarkable increase in profitability under T₁₀ was primarily attributed to its significantly higher pod yield and haulm yield, which substantially enhanced the marketable produce. Although the inclusion of vermicompost, microbial inoculants and bio-stimulants slightly increased the production cost, the additional investment was more than compensated by the increase in gross income, resulting in the maximum net profit. Treatment T₁₁, comprising 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant, recorded the second highest gross return (₹1,59,500 ha⁻¹), net return (₹1,08,300 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (3.12). However, despite receiving a higher phosphorus dose, its profitability remained slightly lower than T₁₀ because of the increased input cost coupled with only a marginal increase in yield. This finding suggests that application of phosphorus beyond the optimum level is economically less efficient and does not proportionately increase returns.

Among the remaining integrated nutrient management treatments, T₉ also recorded appreciably higher gross return (₹1,38,000 ha⁻¹), net return (₹89,800 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (2.86), indicating that the combined application of phosphorus, Rhizobium and vermicompost substantially improved profitability over the sole application of inorganic fertilizers. Similarly, treatments T₇ and T₈ recorded B:C ratios of 2.79 and 2.67, respectively, while treatments receiving only phosphorus with Rhizobium or vermicompost produced comparatively lower but economically viable returns. The control treatment (T₁) recorded the lowest gross return (₹42,000 ha⁻¹), net return (₹13,600 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (1.48), primarily because of poor crop growth and significantly lower pod yield. The higher profitability under integrated nutrient management may be attributed to the balanced supply of nutrients throughout the crop growth period, improved nutrient use efficiency, enhanced biological nitrogen fixation, better root development and increased photosynthetic activity, which collectively resulted in superior yield and higher economic returns. Vermicompost improved soil physical properties and nutrient availability, Rhizobium enhanced biological nitrogen fixation, while Myco F. UNO increased phosphorus uptake and nutrient acquisition. The liquid bio-stimulant further stimulated physiological processes responsible for improved biomass production and yield. These synergistic effects ultimately translated into greater economic benefits.

The present findings are in close agreement with those reported by Sharma et al. (2022) [27] , Kumar et al. (2022), Meena et al.

(2023) [21] and Singh et al. (2023) [30] , who observed that integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, organic manures and biofertilizers significantly increased gross returns, net returns and benefit-cost ratio in groundnut by improving nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity. Similar economic advantages of integrated nutrient management have also been documented in several legume crops, where balanced fertilization with organic amendments enhanced farm profitability while maintaining soil health over the long term.

Conclusion

The study revealed that integrated nutrient management significantly enhanced growth, yield, soil fertility, biological properties, and profitability of groundnut under alluvial soils of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh. Among all treatments, T₁₀ (45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant) performed best. Treatment T₁₀ improved vegetative growth, nodulation, and yield attributes, resulting in the highest pod yield (33.2 q ha⁻¹) and a nearly 295% increase over control. It also enhanced soil organic carbon, available nutrients, and microbial activity, indicating improved soil health. Economically, T₁₀ recorded the highest net return (₹116,500 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (3.35), making it the most profitable option despite higher input costs.

Recommendation

Based on the findings of the present investigation, the integrated application of 45 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ + Rhizobium + Vermicompost + Myco F. UNO + Liquid bio-stimulant (T₁₀) is recommended for groundnut cultivation under the alluvial soils of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh. This nutrient management practice effectively enhances crop growth, yield, soil fertility, microbial activity, and economic returns while contributing to sustainable soil health and efficient nutrient utilization. Adoption of this integrated nutrient management module can therefore improve the productivity and profitability of groundnut cultivation under similar agro-ecological conditions.

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