SUSTAINING GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.) PRODUCTIVITY AND MONETARY RETURNS WITH SHEEP PENNING AND MANURE IN COMBINATION WITH FARM YARD MANURE AND INORGANIC FERTILIZER UNDER ARID ALFISOLS

B. SAHADEVA REDDY¹*, B. RAVINDRANATHA REDDY², A. MALLISWARA REDDY³, Y. ASHOKA REDDY⁴, M. VIJAYA SANKAR BABU^5
1Department Agronomy, Agricultural College, Rajamahendravaram, 533103, East Godavari, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh
²Department of Agronomy, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Tirupati, 517502, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh
³AICRP for dryland Agriculture, ICAR-Agricultural Research Station, DCMS Buildings, Kamalanagar, Ananthapur, 515001, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
⁴Department of Agronomy, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Tirupati, 517502, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh
⁵AICRP for dryland Agriculture, ICAR-Agricultural Research Station, DCMS Buildings, Kamalanagar, Ananthapur, 515001, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
* Corresponding Author : sahadevardd@gmail.com

Received : 04-01-2019     Accepted : 24-01-2019     Published : 30-01-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 2       Pages : 7777 - 7781
Int J Agr Sci 11.2 (2019):7777-7781

Keywords : Sheep penning, Sheep Manure, Gross Returns, Benefit-Cost Ratio, Rainwater Use Efficiency, Sustainability Yield Index, Groundnut
Academic Editor : Harpeet Sodhi, Prof Dr Md Moin Ansari, Dr Vijaya Lakshmi V
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to AICRP for dryland Agriculture, CRIDA, Hyderabad, Telangana. Authors are also thankful Agricultural College, Rajamahendravaram, 533103, East Godavari, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

Field experiment on groundnut were conducted for four years with 16 treatments as a combination of 4 organic sources (Control, Sheep penning, Sheep manure and FYM) and 4 organic and inorganic sources (Control, 50% FYM, 50% RDF and 50% FYM + 50% RDF) in a split-plot design during Kharif 2009 to 2012 under arid Alfisols at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. Pooled mean indicated that significantly higher pod, haulm yield, gross returns, net returns, Benefit cost ratio and rain water use efficiency was recorded with sheep penning +50% RDF compared to absolute control. Four year pooled mean indicated that significantly higher organic carbon was recorded with sheep penning + 50% FYM application (0.67%) and lowest with absolute control (0.30%). The maximum soil potassium occurred under sheep penning only in all the 4 years. The lowest soil potassium occurred under absolute control in all the years. The maximum pod yield was attained under sheep penning + 50% FYM in 2009, sheep manure + 50% RDF in 2010, FYM + 50% RDF in 2011, sheep manure + 50% FYM in 2012 and sheep penning + 50% RDF when pooled over years. The maximum net returns was attained under sheep penning + 50% FYM in 2009, sheep penning + 50% RDF in 2010 and when pooled over years, FYM + 50% RDF in 2011 and sheep manure + 50% FYM in 2012. The maximum rainwater use efficiency was attained under sheep penning + 50% FYM in 2009, sheep manure + 50% RDF in 2010, FYM + 50% RDF in 2011, sheep manure + 50% FYM in 2012 and when pooled over years. Highest SYI value was attained under sheep penning + 50% RDF when pooled over years. Sheep penning @5000 per ha over night with 50 % RDF will increase the pod and halum yield with higher net returns and sustainable yield index for rainfed groundnut.

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