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A pot culture experiment was carried out with the redgram var. CO(Rg)7 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The soil used for the experiment was red, calcareous, sandy loam which belongs to the soil series Palladam (TypicUstropept). The experiment soil was medium in available N (285 kg ha-1), high in available P (26.75 kg ha-1) and K (287 kg ha-1). The soil was deficient in DTPA-Fe (4.80 mg kg-1), DTPA-Mn (0.25 mg kg-1), DTPA-Zn (0.15 mg kg-1), DTPA-Cu (0.22 mg kg-1), and sufficient in hot water soluble B (0.75 mg kg-1). The experiment was laid out with eleven treatments in a completely randomised design (CRD) replicated thrice to study the effect of foliar application of multinutrients on the yield, quality, uptake and soil nutrient status of redgram. In the treatments of foliar application with different combinations of complex, micronutrient and chelated micronutrient fertilisers at different stages, application of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray along with soil application of 100% recommended dose of NPK (T7) recorded the maximum value of yield attributes. Quality parameters such as seed protein content and seed total free amino acid content were enhanced by the foliar application of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray. Application of 100% RD NPK and foliar spraying of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + micronutrient recorded the highest macro and micro nutrient uptake which was followed by the treatments that received 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% MAP + 0.5% KNO3 + micronutrients and 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + chelated micronutrients. Availability of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B contents in soil at different stages was significantly influenced by the various foliar applications. The Chlorophyll 'a', 'b' and total chlorophyll contents were found to be the highest in the treatment that received 100% RD NPK + foliar spray of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + micronutrients (T7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trials were conducted in agroforestry system involving multipurpose tree species and fodder crops to assess the biomass production in Acacia leucopholea, Ailanthus excelsa, Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea, Erythrina indica, Pongamia glabra and Thespesia populenea based silvipasture system. The results revealed that A. leucopholea + Cenchrus Ciliaris gave the highest LER of 1.13. Under 15 years old A. excelsa plantations, fodder cow pea recorded the highest fodder yield of 7.08 t ha-1 with LER value of 0.84. Desmanthus virgatus was found to be a compatible fodder crop for teak plantations of 10 years old and guinea grass recorded the highest green fodder yield of 3.91 t ha-1under pungam based silvipasture system. In all the silvipastoral systems, irrespective of the tree component, grass fodder recorded the highest RYT followed by legume fodder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted in two different agro-climatic zones during kharif 2011 at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai and Wetlands, TNAU farm, Coimbatore to study the effect of customized fertilizers on yield and soil properties of lowland rice ecosystem. Two formulations of customized fertilizers viz., N: P: K mixture (CF I) and N: P: K: Zn mixture (CF II) have been developed based on the blanket recommendation (BR) of straight fertilizers being followed in Tamil Nadu. Three levels of CF I and CF II viz., 50%, 75% and 100% of RDF were compared with 100% RDF through straight fertilizers. The results revealed that application of 100% RDF in the form of CF II increased the productive tillers (21 nos.), panicle length (27.70 cm) and number of filled grains per panicle (203 nos.). Application of 100% RDF in the form of CF II recorded the highest grain yield of 6878 kg ha-1 followed by the application of 100 % RDF in the form of CF I + 25 kg Zn SO4 ha-1 ( 6622 kg ha-1). Per cent increase in yield of 22.2 per cent over the application of straight fertilizers was recorded due to the application of 100 % RDF in the form of CF II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted in two different agro-climatic zones during kharif 2011 at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai and Wetlands, TNAU farm, Coimbatore to study the effect of customized fertilizers on yield and soil properties of lowland rice ecosystem. Two formulations of customized fertilizers viz., N: P: K mixture (CF I) and N: P: K: Zn mixture (CF II) have been developed based on the blanket recommendation (BR) of straight fertilizers being followed in Tamil Nadu. Three levels of CF I and CF II viz., 50%, 75% and 100% of RDF were compared with 100% RDF through straight fertilizers. The results revealed that application of 100% RDF in the form of CF II increased the productive tillers (21 nos.), panicle length (27.70 cm) and number of filled grains per panicle (203 nos.). Application of 100% RDF in the form of CF II recorded the highest grain yield of 6878 kg ha-1 followed by the application of 100% RDF in the form of CF I + 25 kg Zn SO4 ha-1 (6622 kg ha-1). Per cent increase in yield of 22.2 per cent over the application of straight fertilizers was recorded due to the application of 100% RDF in the form of CF II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]