Effect of fertilizers and moisture conservation practices in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under rainfed condition

A field experiment was carried out during rabi seasons of 2008-09 and 2009-10 at Student’s Instructional Farm, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur to find out the effect of fertilizers (40N+15S, 80N+30S and 120N+45S kg/ha) and moisture conservation practices (dust mulch and organic mulch @ 5 t/ha paddy straw at 25 DAS) in mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Results revealed that fertilizers 120 kg N+45 kg S/ha gave significantly higher plant height, number of primary branches/ plant, number of secondary branches/plant, dry matter accumulation/plant, siliquae length, number of siliquae/plant, number of seeds/siliqua, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, stover yield, harvest index and protein content (%) than other levels of fertilizers (control, 40N+15S and 80N+30S kg/ha) during both the years. However, the application of moisture conservation practices (control, dust mulch creating by weeding at 25 and 35 DAS and organic mulch @ 5 t/ha paddy straw at 25 DAS) increased growth, yield attributing characters and seed yield as well as nutrient content and uptake by mustard over control. On the basis of economics 120 kg N+45 kg S/ha and organic mulch @ 5 t/ha at 25 DAS were found most profitable.