Effect of farmyard manure and Jeevamrit in maize-wheat organic production system in Punjab

A field study on maize-wheat system was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana for three years to evaluate different sources of nutrition under organic production. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with main plots consisting of recommended doses of chemical fertilizers (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM200) to supply 200 kg N ha-1, to supply 100 kg N ha-1 (FYM100) to each crop and one unfertilized control. The sub plots consisted of application of Jeevamrit (cow dung and urine culture) as soil application, soil & foliar application and a control without Jeevamrit. Maize grain yields with FYM200 and FYM100 were significantly lower than RDF by 53.5 and 59.6; 35.8 and 38.1; 12.7 and 18.7% during 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, respectively. FYM200 resulted in 15.1, 3.7 and 7.4% higher grain yield than FYM100 during 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, respectively. The wheat grain yield decrease with FYM200 and FYM100 from RDF was 40.7 and 44.2; 16.6 and 30.1; 11.0 and 21.5% during 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, respectively. Thus, maize and wheat grain yields under organic farming failed to compete with recommended fertilizers even with FYM200 to both the crops. Therefore, application of single source of manures should not be recommended under organic farming. Jeevamrit was not effective in influencing the grain yields of maize and wheat indicating its inability to contribute to the nutrition of these crops. Soil organic carbon improved with FYM at both the rates compared to RDF. The soil microbial population increased with application of Jeevamrit but it did not influence the productivity of crops.