Conjugation Effect of Zinc and Iron on Quality of Crops and Soil Fertility in Foxtail Millet-Chickpea Sequential Cropping System

The present investigation is undertaken to study the “effect of nutrient management approaches in conjugation with zinc and iron on quality of soil and crops in foxtail millet-chickpea sequential cropping system”. Field experiments were conducted during 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Krishi Vigyana Kendra Farm, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur to study the nutrient management approaches in conjugation with zinc and iron on the quality of soil and crops in foxtail millet-chickpea sequential cropping system involving individual Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM targeted yield of 15 and 20 kg ha-1 and in combination with ZnSO4.7H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 10 & 20 kg ha-1. The application of nutrients through SSNM approach for targeted yield of 20 q ha-1 + ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 20 kg ha-1 for foxtail millet and its residual effect on chickpea was registered significantly higher test weight, protein content and protein yield (5.11 g, 12.63% and 256.33 kg ha-1 respectively) and for chickpea (4.83 g, 12.20% and 230.93 kg ha-1, respectively) as compared to all other treatments except SSNM approach for targeted yield of 20 q ha-1 + ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 10 kg ha-1, SSNM approach for targeted yield of 15 q ha-1 + ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 20 kg ha-1 and SSNM approach for targeted yield of 15 q ha-1 + ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 10 kg ha-1. Application of nutrients through SSNM approach for targeted yield of 20 q ha-1 along with ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 20 kg ha-1 for foxtail millet and its residual effect on chickpea was registered significantly higher available S, Zn and Fe (23.54 kg ha-1, 0.67 and 4.15 mg kg-1, respectively) where available N, P2O5, and K2O (271.46, 50.65 and 367.54 kg ha-1) were noticed significantly higher with SSNM approach for targeted yield of 20 q ha-1 and it was on par with SSNM approach for targeted yield of 20 q ha-1 + ZnSO47H2O and FeSO47H2O each @ 10 kg ha-1 and there was no significant difference in organic carbon of soil after harvest of the second crop in foxtail millet-chickpea sequence cropping system.