EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS, SULPHUR AND BIOFERTILIZERS ON GROWTH CHARACTERS OF FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM L.)

An experiment was conducted during two consecutive years (1997–98 and 1998–99). The soil of experimental field was sandy loam having low available nitrogen and phosphorus and well supplied with potassium and alkaline in reaction. Increased applicationof phosphorus increased the dry matter accumulation and plant height of fenugreek significantly. Application of 80 kg P205 ha−1 increased the dry matter accumulation per 0.5 m row length at 30, 60, 90 DAS and at harvest by 22.38, 20.09, 27.74 and 2272 per cent and plant height at 60,90 DASand at harvest by 9.06, 17.20 and 15.74 per cent over control. respectively. Application of 100 kg sulphur per hectare significantly increased the mean dry matter accumulation of fenugreek at 30, 60, 90 DAS and at harvest by 6.87, 6.25, 8.45 and 5.10 per cent over control, respectively. Seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB, PSB alone and Rhizobium alone increased the mean dry matter accumulation of fenugreek by 2.84, 1.63 and 1.03 per cent at 90 DAS over control, respectively, The maximum seed yield of fenugreek was recorded IAlith the application of 80 kg P2O5 ha−1, 100 kg S ha−1 and seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB.