Comparison of growth and yield performances of horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.) supplemented with organic and inorganic fertilizers

Abstract

Abstract—Horsegram is an underutilized legume with greater potential to utilize as food and feed. In the Sri Lankan context, no fertilizer recommendations have been developed, as such impede commercial cultivation of horsegram. Hence, a field experiment was carried out to investigate the crop performance of two varieties viz; ANKK -black and ANKK-brown under different regimes of fertilizer applications. The treatment comprised of the full dose of recommended inorganic fertilizer of mung bean (T1), a half dose of recommended inorganic fertilizers (T2), compost mix (T3), and control treatment (T4) were laid down in a split-plot design replicated three times. The results revealed that variety ANKK-brown responded superior to the ANKK-black. The highest chlorophyll content (44.3), dry weight of shoot (29g Plant-1), root (1.97g plant-1), pods (160 plant-1), and mean grain yield (1877.8 kg ha-1) resulted in T1. However, a significantly increased number of root nodules (42 plant-1) were produced with T3. Moreover, there was a positive association between chlorophyll content versus the number of pods per plant (0.45), shoot (0.52) and root (0.53) dry matter production. Therefore, the findings suggest that the horsegram can either be successfully grown with NPK inorganic fertilizers of 35 kg/ha urea, 100 kg/ha muriate of potash (MOP) and 75 kg/ha triple super phosphate (TSP)] or be with the application of organic manures at the rates of 10,000kg/ha (T3) without significant compromise in crop yields