Bangladesh Agron. J. 2018, 21(2): 67-71 RESPONSE OF MUSTARD TO SOIL TEST BASED FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT M. H. Hossain1, S. K. Bhowal 2*, M. M. H. Bhuiyan3, A. K. M. S. Haque4, A. S. M. M. R. Khan5 1Principal Scientific Officer, On- Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Cumilla, Bangladesh 2 & 3Scientific Officer, On- Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Cumilla, Bangladesh 4Principal Scientific Officer, ARS, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Cumilla, Bangladesh 5Chief Scientific Officer, On- Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh *Corresponding author, E-mail: shamal.bau@gmail.com (Received: 13 January 2019, Accepted: 9 May 2019) Keywords: STB fertilizer Management, Mustard Yield, Cost and Return Analysis Abstract A field experiment was carried out at Sonapur of Muradnagar upazilla in Cumilla district under the Debidwar MLT (Multi-Location Testing) site during the rabi season of 2013-15. The experiment was conducted in the Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain (AEZ-19) soil. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The treatments were: T1= Soil Test Based (STB) Fertilizer dose (FRG 2012), T2= T1+ 15% STB, T3= T1+ 30% STB, T4= 80% STB from inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD/PM, T5= Farmers’ Practice and T6= Control. Among the treatments, T4 gave the maximum seed yield (1385.56 kg ha-1) which was at par with T1, T3 and T2 treatments. The lowest seed yield (450.20 kg ha-1) was obtained from T6 (Control). Introduction Mustard is one of the major oilseed crops in Bangladesh that occupies 78% of the oilseed area and contributes nearly 62% of the total oilseed production in Bangladesh (BBS, 2009). In Cumilla region, a vast area is used for mustard cultivation in between T. Aman and Boro (Anonymous, 2014). They also cultivate mustard as a mixed crop with boro rice (Haider et al., 2015). Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) developed several high yielding mustard varieties and these varieties may out yielded the local variety in terms of increased yield per unit area (Mondal et al., 2014). Among high yielding mustard varieties, BARI Sarisha-14 is found to produce a higher yield in plain land and char land areas without hampering the next crop (Islam et al., 2011). On the other hand, farmers generally do not use organic fertilizer or use a higher dose of chemical fertilizers or indiscriminately use chemical fertilizers for mustard cultivation (Bhowal, et al. 2014). They have no knowledge or have little knowledge about soil test based fertilizer application. So, the higher yield gap exists in the farmer’s field. Now, it is essential to find out the optimum dose for soil test based of fertilizer recommendation for higher yield and economic return of mustard. Materials and Methods mailto:shamal.bau@gmail.com 68 Hossain et al. The experiment was conducted at Sonapur of Muradnagar upazilla in Cumilla district under the Debidwar MLT site during 2014-15. The experimental site was situated in AEZ-19 (Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain). Soil samples were collected from the experimental plots and analyzed. The soil was sandy loam in texture with pH 6.5. The physiochemical properties of the initial soil of the experimental field were presented in Table 1. Initial nutrients content values were used in calculating soil test based fertilizer dose. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design with 3 replications. The unit plot size was (4 x 3) m2. Row to row distance was 30 cm and seeds of mustard var. BARI sarisha-14 were sown on 11 November, 2014 continuously. The treatments were T1 = Soil Test Based (STB) Fertilizer dose (FRG 2012), T2 = T1+ 15% STB, T3 = T1 + 30% STB, T4 = 80% STB from inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD/PM, T5 = Farmers’ Practice, T6= Control. Fertilizers were applied as per treatment. Half of the nitrogen and full quantity of cow dung, P, K, S and B were applied at the time of final land preparation. Urea, TSP, MoP, gypsum and Boric acid were used as a source of N, P, K, S and B, respectively. The remaining half of nitrogen was applied as a top dress at the flowering stage (25 days after seeding) and covered with soil followed by irrigation. Intercultural operations like weeding, mulching were done as and when necessary. Yield components like a number of siliqua plant-1, seeds siliqua-1 and 1000 seed weight were taken from randomly selected 10 plants from each plot. The crop was harvested at 75 days after sowing. Seed yields were taken from the whole plot. Data on yield and yield components were analyzed statistically by Statistix 10 program and the means were adjusted using LSD test at 5% level of significance (Statistix 10, 2013). Table 1. Physio-chemical Properties of Initial Experimental Soil at farmer’s field, Ghorashal, Muradnagar, Cumilla Location pH K Total N (%) P S B Meq100 ml-1 µg ml-1 Muradnagar, Cumilla 6.5 0.046 0.04 6.0 38 0.18 Critical Level - 0.12 - 7. 0 10 0.20 Interpretation Slightly acidic Very low Very low Low Very high Low Results and Discussion Yield and yield attributing Characteristics Yield components and yield of BARI Sarisha-14 under different fertilizer management practices are presented in Table 2. From the findings, it was found that there is no significant difference among T1, T2, T3 and T4 treatments regarding the plant height. The lowest plant height (80.90 cm) was recorded in T6 treatment. The maximum number of the primary branch (3.6) was found in T4 treatment where 80% STB from inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD was used but it was statistically similar with T1 and T3, respectively. A number of siliqua plant-1 (9.93 – 39.40) differed significantly under different soil test based fertilizer managements. It increased with different soil test based fertilizer management levels. A maximum number of siliqua per plant was recorded from T4 treatment that was followed by T1, T3 and T2 treatments and minimum in T6 treatment. It was observed that higher number of pods per plant (39.40), 1000 seeds weight (2.97 g) and seed yield (1385.33 kg ha-1) was found in T4 treatment that was statistically similar with T2 and T3 treatments (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). Datta et al. (2011) also reports that the significant variation in 1000-seed weight of BARI Sarisha-11 under different fertilizer managements may be Response of Mustard to Soil Test Based Fertilizer Management 69 attributed to different growth rate, dry matter accumulation and variable rate of translocation of assimilates towards seeds. On the other hand, the lowest seed yield (450.20 kg ha-1) was obtained from T6 (control). The variation in seed yield of mustard was also observed by Mandal and Sinha (2004) and explained that it may be attributed to the total dry matter production and it’s partitioning to different yield contributing organs. Cost and Return Analysis From cost and return analysis it was revealed that the gross return varies with different soil test based fertilizer management practices (Table 3) and the highest gross return (Tk. 48,487 ha-1) was recorded in T4 treatment due to increase in yield of mustard where 80% STB from inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD i.e N-P-K-S-B (96-36-56-0-0.72) kg ha-1 + 20% from cow dung were used. Cost of production increased mainly with increasing fertilizers levels in different fertilizer management packages. Table 2. Effect of different fertilizer packages on yield contributing characters of mustard at Muradnagar, Cumilla (pooled data of 2013-14 and 2014-15) Treatments Plant height (cm) Branch plant-1 (no.) Pods plant-1 (no.) Weight of seed plant-1 (g) T1 114.93 3.27 36.73 14.13 T2 114.07 2.53 36.33 19.87 T3 107.80 3.53 35.53 19.27 T4 114.13 3.60 39.40 21.89 T5 120.67 2.77 33.47 17.87 T6 80.90 1.63 9.93 8.87 CV (%) 5.35 7.64 8.64 8.62 LSD (O.O5) 10.53 0.40 5.12 2.66 Note:T1= Soil Test Based (STB) Fertilizer Dose (FRG 2012) i.e N-P-K-S-B (120-45-70-0-0.9 ) kg ha-1, T2= T1+15% STB i.e N-P-K-S-B (138-51.75-80.5-0-1.04) kg ha -1 , T3= T1+30% STB i.e N-P-K-S-B (156-58.5-91-0-1.17) kg ha-1, T4=80% STB from Inorganic fertilizer+20% STB from CD/PM i.e N-P-K-S-B (96-36-56-0-0.72 ) kg ha-1+20% from cow dung, T5= Farmers Practice i.e N-P-K(170-95-100) kg ha-1, T6= Control i.e No fertilizer Used. Fig. 1. Relationship of different packages of STB fertilizers with seed weight and yield of mustard The maximum cost of production was recorded in T3 treatment (Tk. 30,500 ha -1) and the lowest in control (Tk. 12,000 ha-1). The gross margin and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) also varies towards different soil test based fertilizer management and it followed a trend similar to that of gross return. The highest gross margin (Tk. 70 Hossain et al. 18,987 ha-1) and BCR (1.64) were obtained from T4 treatment where 80% STB from Inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD i.e N-P-K-S-B (96-36-56-0-0.72) kg ha-1 + 20% from cow dung were used. Banerjee et al. (2010) also agree with the above findings and stated the impact of different combined doses of fertilizers with plant growth regulators on growth, yield attributes and yield of mustard (Brassica campestris cv. B9). Table 3. Economic analysis of mustard var. BARI Sarisha-14 at Muradnagar, Cumilla (pooled) Treatments Gross Return (Tk. ha-1) Total Cost of Cultivation (Tk. ha-1) Gross Margin (Tk. ha-1) BCR T1 42294 28499 13795 1.48 T2 48319 29773 18546 1.62 T3 45449 30500 14949 1.49 T4 48487 29500 18987 1.64 T5 43277 29600 13677 1.46 T6 15757 12000 5757 1.31 Note:T1= Soil Test Based (STB) Fertilizer Dose (FRG 2012) i.e N-P-K-S-B (120-45-70-0-0.9 ) kg ha-1, T2= T1+15% STB i.e N-P-K-S-B (138-51.75-80.5-0-1.04) kg ha -1 , T3= T1+30% STB i.e N-P-K-S-B (156-58.5-91-0-1.17) kg ha-1, T4=80% STB from Inorganic fertilizer+20% STB from CD/PM i.e N-P-K-S-B (96-36-56-0-0.72 ) kg ha-1+20% from cow dung, T5= Farmers Practice i.e N-P-K(170-95-100) kg ha-1, T6= Control i.e No fertilizer Used, Price of Mustard @ 35 Tk kg-1 Farmers’ Opinion Farmers’ opined that they did not know the soil test based fertilizer application method and amount of fertilizer required for mustard cultivation. They are happy with the result of the experiment and express their opinion on over dose chemical fertilizers. The experiment may be helpful for other mustard growers in this block or area. Fig. 2. Pictorial view of the experimental field at Muradnagar, Cumilla, Bangladesh with individual treatment Conclusion Response of Mustard to Soil Test Based Fertilizer Management 71 Based on the experimental result it was clearly revealed that fertilizers application especially soil test based fertilizer application had the effect on plant growth, yield and yield contributing characters of mustard. Among the different soil test based fertilizer management packages, 80% STB from Inorganic fertilizer + 20% STB from CD i.e N-P-K-S-B (96-36-56-0-0.72) kg ha-1 + 20% from cow dung is the best considering yield and economic benefit in Cumilla region. References Anonymous, 2014. Annual research report. 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