Abstract

                               Castor is an important oilseed crop growing under rainfed condition all over the world. The beneficial effect of integrated use of mineral fertilizers, organic manure along with bioinoculants on soil quality and crop productivity of castor crop and its potential in rainfed ecosystem was studied through a field experiment at Tapioca and Castor Research Station, TNAU Yethapur during Kharif (2013-14). The results of the present study indicated that the application of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) 45:15:15 kg NPK ha-1 and enriched farmyard manure (EFM) @ 750 kg ha-1 along with Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria (biofertilizers) had recorded the highest seed yield (1785 kg ha-1) and oil content (48.5%). In all the enriched organic (enriched poultry manure, enriched vermicompost, enriched pressmud compost, enriched coirpith compost) amended treatments also significant increase in yield was observed. Among various treatments, compared to the control, the RDF with EFM had found to impart significant changes in the soil EC (0.43 dS m-1) and macronutrients also improved to a mean of 35, 6.71, 19 kg ha-1 of N, P and K respectively. Hence, the combined use of organic, chemical and biological sources of fertilizers in appropriate proportions will ascertain the balanced nutrition to the crop and sustain the productivity.

Key words : Castor, INM, Yield, Oil content, Soil nutritional status.