Assessment of Organic, Inorganic, Integrated Nutrient Management and Subhash Palekar’s Natural Farming Practices in Fodder Oat and Sarson Mixture

Background: Concern about environmental degradation and nutritional imbalance caused by continuous use of inorganic fertilizers have led to the need for studies comparing organic, inorganic and integrated nutrient management as well as Subhash Palekar’s natural farming in fodder crops through natural farming. Methods: The present investigation was conducted at the CSK HPKV, Palampur research farm, during the Rabi 2018-19 and 2019-20. Ten nutrient management treatments and three replications were included in the randomized block design of the trial. Result: Treatments comprised of recommended NPK through inorganic sources and integrated nutrient management (50 per cent recommended N + FYM + Jeevamrit) behaving alike resulted in better crop growth (plant height and shoot number), fodder yields (green and dry), nutrient uptake (N, P and K) and crude protein yield compared to organic (FYM @10 t/ha+Jeevamrit) and natural farming (Jeevamrit/Beejamrit + Jeevamrit) nutrient management treatments. Application of recommended NPK proved most profitable with highest net returns (₹ 1, 13,347 /ha) and net returns per rupee invested (2.95) followed by integrated nutrient management. The present work suggests that fodder oat + sarson mixture can be more productive and remunerative with the adoption of integrated nutrient management next to inorganic nutrient management.