Effect of biofertilizer, nitrogen and sulphur on growth and yield of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2007-08 and 2008-09 at R.B.S. College, Agricultural Research Farm, Bichpuri, Agra (U.P.) on a sandy loam soil to study the effect of biofertilizer, nitrogen and sulphur on the growth and yield of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) . The experiment was carried out in split plot design with three replications. The treatments consisted of 4 lavels of N (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg ha^–1) with and without biofertilizer and biofertilizer alone in main plots and 4 levels (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha^–1) of sulphur in sub plots. The results showed that in both years of experimentation, significantly higher plant height was obtained with 75 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer as compare to all other treatments except 50 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer and 75 kg N ha^–1 and other growth parameters (number of primary and secondary branches plant^–1 and dry matter accumulation (g plant^–1) and all the yield attributes viz. capsule/plant, weight of capsule/ plant, seeds/capsule and weight of seeds/plant (except shelling percent) increased significantly with the application of 50 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer as compared to all other treatments except 75 kg N ha^–1 and 75 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer. Seed yield (Pooled basis) of linseed (1322.29 kg ha^–1) increased significantly with the application of 50 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer as compared to all other treatments; however, it was at par with 75 kg N ha^–1 and 75 kg N ha^–1 + biofertilizer. Application of sulphur increased all growth as well as all yield parameters (expect selling percent) significantly with every increase in the level of sulphur up to 40 kg ha^–1 during both the years.