Productivity of mung bean and sesame grown on residual fertility in multiple cropping systems

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted on an Entisol from 1984 to 1987 at Bidhan Chandra Agricultural University, West Bengal, India, to study the residual effects of N, P, and K on productivity of mung bean (Vigna radiatus Roxb.) and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in irrigated multiple cropping with rice‐potato‐mung bean and rice‐potato‐sesame cropping systems. The crops were grown with or without application of farmyard manure or incorporation of crop residues. Different quantities of inorganic fertilizers based on locally recommended practices for fertilization were applied to rice and potato and their residual effects on succeeding mung bean or sesame crops were assessed. Application of fertilizers at a higher rate than the recommended amounts to rice and potato in the system showed no significant residual effect on yields of succeeding mung bean or sesame compared to the yields obtained with the application of N, P, and K at 100% of the recommended rate or 75% of the recommended rate with manure or residues. Any reduction in the application of recommended amounts of fertilizers to rice or potato without compensating amounts coming from other organic sources resulted in lower productivity of succeeding mung bean and sesame.