Efficiency of farm yard manure to mitigate drastic saline water impacts on nutrients uptake by sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

Abstract

The continuous use of saline water results in salt
buildup in soil leading to reduced crop yield as well as soil
resource deterioration. However, adding organic matter in
either form may help in lowering salts in the rhizosphere.
A trial was conducted to examine the efficacy of farm yard
manure (FYM) in modifying the salinity and enhancing the
uptake of nutrients by sorghum. In this experiment
irrigation, water of 3 different types (canal water and saline
water of electrical conductivity values 2 and 3 dS m
-1
) was
applied and coupled with FYM @ 5 and 10 Mg ha-1
. The
experiment was comprised of 9 treatments; T1= Canal
Water, T2 = water of EC 2 dS m-1
, T3 = water of EC 3 dS m
-1
, T4 = T1 + FYM @ 5 Mg ha-1
, T5 = T2 + FYM @ 5 Mg ha-1
,
T6 = T3 + FYM @ 5 Mg ha-1
, T7 = T1 + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1
,
T8 = T2 + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1
and T9 = T3 + FYM @ 10 Mg ha1
. The experiment was laid according to RCBD with four
replications. Sorghum cultivar “Hegari” was grown as a test
crop. Pre and post-harvest soil analysis was carried out for
various soil characteristics. Results indicated that among all the
treatments, T7 (T1 + FYM @ 10 Mg ha-1
) performed best in
enhancing N, P, K, Ca and Mg uptake while lowering the
uptake of Na by sorghum. However, the treatment T3 (water of
EC 3.0 dS m
-1
) lowered N, P, K, Ca and Mg uptake while
enhancing sodium content in sorghum plants. © 2020
Department of Agricultural Sciences, AIOU