Sowing date is a crucial factor influencing the productivity of Indian mustard in the Gwalior region. Delayed sowing frequently exposes the crop to unfavourable temperature regimes and terminal heat stress during the reproductive phase, which adversely affects crop growth and consequently reduces yield. Therefore, determining an optimum sowing window is essential for attaining improved growth and higher productivity. In this regard, a field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2025-26 at the Crop Research Centre, ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, on sandy loam soil to assess the effect of integrated nutrient management practices on the productivity and profitability of Indian mustard under different sowing dates. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design comprising three sowing dates as main-plot treatments (D1 - 01/10/2025, D2 - 15/10/2025 and D3 - 30/10/2025) and four nutrient-management practices as sub-plot treatments (N0 - control, N1 - 100% RDF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1, N2 - 75% RDF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1 and N3 - 50% RDF + vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1), with three replications. The findings revealed that mustard sown on 01 October significantly outperformed the delayed sowing treatments by recording higher nutrient content and uptake, along with superior seed yield (23.4 q ha-1) and stover yield (42.4 q ha-1). Among the nutrient-management treatments, the application of 100% RDF along with vermicompost @ 3 t ha-1 proved to be the most effective, enhancing nutrient content and uptake and achieving the maximum seed yield (24.3 q ha-1) and stover yield (42.4 q ha-1) compared with the remaining treatments.
K. Anilkumar, P. Rajput, P. Kanaujiya et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
A two-year field investigation was conducted during the rabi (winter) seasons of 2024-25 and 2025-26 at the Instructional Farm of the Department of Agronomy, ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, to evaluate the effect of foliar-applied biostimulants (chitosan, seaweed extract and protein hydrolysate) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn and I), alone and in combination, on the growth, yield and economics of winter maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment comprised sixteen treatments, namely an absolute control (T1), three individual biostimulants (T2-T4), three individual micronutrients (T5-T7), four dual and triple biostimulant combinations (T8-T11), three dual and triple micronutrient combinations (T12- T15) and a six-component consortium (T16) combining all biostimulants and micronutrients, laid out in a randomised block design with three replications. Foliar application of the consortium treatment (T16) consistently and significantly outperformed all other treatments, recording the tallest plants (224.8 cm), highest dry matter accumulation (273.5 g plant-1), highest SPAD-based chlorophyll content (57.4), heaviest cob with husk (243.8 g plant-1), maximum number of grains cob-1 (685.3), maximum cobs plant-1 (1.88) and the highest grain yield (6.5 t ha-1), representing increases of 21.2, 15.5, 45.0, 46.0, 78.0 and 49.2 per cent, respectively, over the control, pooled across both years. Grain yield showed a strong positive correlation with dry matter accumulation (r = 0.991), stover yield (r = 0.986), cob weight with husk (r = 0.961) and fresh weight (r = 0.969). Grain yield showed a strong linear association with dry matter accumulation (R² = 0.983) among the pooled treatment means, while a multiple regression model incorporating dry matter accumulation, chlorophyll content and cob weight explained 98.8 per cent of the variability in grain yield. Although the consortium treatment produced the highest gross and net returns (₹1,68,496-1,84,664 and ₹1,21,455-1,36,936 ha-1, respectively), the combined micronutrient treatment Fe + Zn + I (T15) recorded the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.83-3.14), indicating greater input-use efficiency. Overall, integrated foliar application of biostimulants and micronutrients improved growth, yield and economic returns of winter maize under the conditions of the two-year field experiment.
Sonali Kokale, Jaidev Sharma, S. Maurya et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
An agronomic investigation was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2023-24 and 2024-25 at the Crop Research Center of ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, to determine the influence of nutrient management and post-emergence herbicides on the yield and economic of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment, comprising three nutrient management practices and six herbicide applications, was laid out in two factor randomized block design with three replications. The findings showed that, among the nutrient management practices, 75% RDF + vermicompost at 1.5 t ha-1 recorded the highest yield attributing characteristics, viz., number of effective shoots (393.8 and 411.1), spike length (10.7 and 11.1 cm), number of grains spike-1 (43.9 and 45.1), 1000-grain weight (41.2 and 42.3 g), grain yield (4117 and 4218 kg ha-1), and net returns (₹75,324.6 and ₹87,438.0 ha-1) during 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. Herbicide application significantly influenced weed control efficiency and yield. The weed-free treatment recorded 100% weed control efficiency and the highest grain yields (4530 and 4661 kg ha-1 during 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively). Among the herbicidal treatments, sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron-methyl was the most effective, recording the highest weed control efficiency (83.34 and 84.77%), yield attributing characteristics, grain yield (4344 and 4468 kg ha-1) and net returns (₹82,251.1 and ₹95,405.7 ha-1) during 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. Therefore, applying 75% RDF + vermicompost at 1.5 t ha-1 together with sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron-methyl resulted in higher productivity and net returns in wheat production.
Vibhav Singh, P. Rajput, Jaidev Sharma et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2025 at the Crop Research Centre, School of Agriculture, ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to study the effect of phosphorus levels and organic manures on the growth, physiological indices and yield of black gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. The treatments comprised three phosphorus levels (40, 50 and 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) and three organic manure sources, namely farmyard manure (FYM) at 5 t ha⁻¹, vermicompost at 2 t ha⁻¹ and poultry manure at 1.5 t ha⁻¹, along with an absolute control. Phosphorus application significantly improved growth, nodulation, dry matter accumulation, physiological growth indices and yield. The highest plant height (52.90 cm), number of branches plant⁻¹ (7.36), leaf area index (3.62), root nodules plant⁻¹ (27.20), dry matter accumulation at harvest (439.34 g m⁻²), crop growth rate (6.43 g m⁻² day⁻¹ during 40–60 DAS), grain yield (1412 kg ha⁻¹) and straw yield (3130 kg ha⁻¹) were recorded with 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹. Among organic manures, vermicompost at 2 t ha⁻¹ produced the highest grain yield (1422 kg ha⁻¹) and straw yield (3045 kg ha⁻¹). The application of 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ with vermicompost at 2 t ha⁻¹ may improve the productivity of black gram under the conditions of the present study.
T. Chavan, S. Maurya, T. Tamang et al.· Archives of Current Research...· 0 citations
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