Yield attributes and yield of soybean
Yield attributing characters like number of pods/plant, weight of pods/plant and weight of seed/plant (g) and seed yield of soybean showed remarkable improvement by adopting different land configuration method (Table 1). The broad bed furrows planting method was most efficient for increase in yield and yield attributing characters
i.e. number of pods/plant (28.25), weight of pods/plant (9.85 g) and weight of seed/plant (8.04) and seed yield (2202 kg ha
1) than flat bed planting but it was at par with the ridges and furrows (Table 1 and 2). This might be owing to better availability of the physical condition of the soil and soil moisture after completion of vegetative growth, which contributed for more photosynthesis and translocation of photosynthates towards reproductive organs
i.e. from source to sink, which resulted in higher yield
(Wadile et al., 2017). More favoured overall growth and yield attributing characters may be due to favourable seed bed, better aeration, scope for more space, light interception, benefit of more conserved moisture in furrows and its support at critical growth stages like flowering, pod initiation and development. This resulted in higher values of yield attributing characters and which in turn resulted in higher yields of soybean crop. This results correlate with the work of
Jaypaul (1996),
Jain et al., (2000) and
Raut et al., (2000).
Applicationof superaosorbent exert non significant effect but the application of 30:60:30:30 NPKS +20 kg ZnSO
4 + 5 t FYM ha
-1 recorded significantly higher values of yield attributing characters
i.e. number of pods/plant (26.56), weight of pods/plant (8.71 g) and weight of seed/plant (7.53) and seed yield (2144 kg ha
-1) than of the applicaton 30:60:30 NPK + 5 t FYM ha
-1 (Table 2). This might be due to larger leaf area with this treatments. Larger leaf area resulted in more photosynthetic activities and more accumulation of carbohydrates which in turn increased dry matter accumulation. Similar results were also reported by
Raut et al., (2003), Saxena et al., (2003) and
More et al., (2006). Soybean has been reported to be responsive to sulphur with respect to dry matter accumulation (
Shivakumar and Ahlawat, 2008;
Prabhakaran and Lourduraj, 2003). The application of zinc significantly increased the dry matter accumulation at all the stages except at 30 DAS
(Awlad et al., 2003; Thenua et al., 2014).
Yield attributes and yield of safflower
The practice of broad bed furrows (L
3) in safflower showed great effect on the yield attributes of safflower during the investigation. Highest values of yield and yield attributes
i.e. number of capitula/plant (25.01), weight of capitula/plant (48.81), weight of seed/plant (23.61) and seed yield (1933 kg ha
-1) was occurred with the broad bed furrows which was at par with the ridges and furrows and lowest values was recorded with the flat beds (L
1). This might be due to broad bed furrows of sowing of safflower increases availability of soil moisture at peak period of growth. The similar findings were observed by
Paliwal et al., (2011). Also may be due to more favoured overall growth and yield attributing characters due to favourable raised seed bed, better aeration, scope for more space, light interception, benefit of more conserved moisture in furrows and its support at critical growth stages like flowering, capitula initiation and development. This resulted in higher values of yield attributing characters and which in turn resulted in higher yields of safflower crop. The similar trend was observed in case of straw and biological yields as well as in harvest index also. These findings correlate with earlier findings of
Mandal et al., (2013) and
Kadam (2015). Applicationof superaosorbent to safflower recorded non significant effect and the application of 40:20:00 NPK kg ha
-1 to safflower had significant influence on yield (Table 2) and yield attributes of safflower than the application of 30:15:00 NPK kg ha
-1. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the two essential nutrients for safflower growth and development, therefore, optimization of their rates can strongly increase the seed yield in safflower. Application of nutrients has a vital role in early and vigorous plant growth especially under scarcity areas. Balanced application of fertilizers at the time of sowing led to higher plant growth. Proper application of nitrogen and phosphorus might have increased the chlorophyll content of the leaves and photosynthesis. N application was found to play a significant role in assimilation rate, stomatal conductance of water vapour (
Dordas and Sioulas, 2008). The increase in the yield of safflower might be ascribed to cumulative effect of improvement in the growth as well as yield attributes and increased availability of the essential nutrients throughout the crop growth period. The results of present investigation are in lines with that of
Girase et al., (1997) and
Zohra Ahmed et al., (1985).
System productivity
The total productivity of the soybean-safflower cropping sequence expressed in terms of soybean equivalent yield indicated that it differed significantly due to differed land configuration and nutrient management to both the crops during both the years of investigation and in pooled results also (Table 2). The soybean equivalent yield of the cropping system was significantly higher with the practice of broad bed furrows than the flat beds practice and was at par with the ridges and furrows during both the years and in pooled results also. Similar results were also obtained by
Singh et al., (1999), here total productivity of soybean-chickpea rotation in the BBF was greater than flat configuration. Applicationof different rates of superaosorbent resulted in non significant but in case of nutrient management, soybean equivalent yield was significantly increased with the application 30:60:30 NPK + 5 t FYM ha
-1 (N
1) in
kharif soybean followed by 40:20:00 NPK kg ha
-1 (N
1) to safflower in
rabi season during both the years and in pooled results also (Table 2). The higher equivalent yield might be attributed to proper utilization of nutrients due to its sustained availability which resulted in better crop growth and ultimately higher grain yield. Similar findings were also reported by
Tomar et al., (1996), Prajapat et al., (2014) and
Wanil et al., (2011).
Economics
Net monetary returns and B:C ratio of cropping sequence were maximum in broad bed furrow planting method during both the years and in pooled mean than the flat beds and ridges and furrow. Also in the cropping sequence application 30:60:30 NPK + 5 t FYM ha
-1 (N
1) in
kharif soybean followed by 40:20:00 NPK kg ha
-1 (N
1) to safflower in
rabi season obtained higher net monetary returns and benefit cost ratio during both the years of experimentation and in pooled results but the application of superabsorbent in the crooping sequence indicated non-significant effect (Table 2).
Gautam et al., (2001) observed that net monetary return and benefit cost ratio increased with increasing level of fertilizer, highest net monetary return and benefit cost ratio recorded from highest level of fertilizer application (80N + 40P kg ha
-1). These findings are in close conformity with those reported by
Singh (2005),
Arya et al., (2005), Pandey et al., (1999) and
Auti et al., (1998).