Influence of crop-establishment practices and microbial inoculants on growth and productivity of summer greengram (Vigna radiata)

A field experiment was carried out during the summer season in 2018 at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the effect of crop-establishment practices and microbial inoculation on crop growth and productivity of summer greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek]. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design and treatments were replicated thrice. The experiment included 9 treatment combinations including 3 cropestablishment practices, viz. conventional tillage, zero tillage and zero tillage with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) residue @ 2.5 t/ha in main plots, and 3 microbial inoculation treatment, viz. control (no inoculation), dual inoculation of Rhizobium + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and combined inoculation of Rhizobium + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) + arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi in sub plots. Results showed that zero tillage with residue produced significantly higher growth parameters of greengram, viz. plant height, plants/m2, dry-matter accumulation, leaf-area index, branches/plant, root nodules/plant and root nodule weight/plant at 45 days after sowing (DAS). The same treatment showed significantly superior yield attributes at maturity, viz. plants/m2, pods/plant, pod length, grains/pod and 1,000-grain weight, and yields over other 2 treatments. Seed inoculation with Rhizobium + PSB + AM fungi was significantly superior to other 2 treatments with regard to plant growth parameters, yield attributes and grain yield.