Nutritional quality of soybean (Glycine max), wheat (Triticum durum) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and soil biological properties as influenced by different organic manures

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons or 2005-06, to evaluate the effect of different organic manures, viz cattledung manure, veimicompost and poultry manure application on soybean, [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and wheat (Triticum durum Desf) grains quality parameters and their resultant effect on soil biological properties under soybean - durum wheat and soybean - chickpea cropping systems. It was observed that the soybean seed quality parameters, such as protein (33.6 to 35.3%), methionine (1.57-1.70 g/l6 g N) and cysteine content (1.42 to 1.59 g/16 g N) were improved due to the application of cattledung manure compared to control. During rabi season, application of cattledung manure + vermicompost recorded highest seed yields of chickpea (1 551 kg/ha) compared to other organic combinations and control (1185 kg/ha). Whereas highest protein (20.1%), mineral (2.8%), methionine (1.73 g/16 g N) and cysteine content (1.52 g/16 g N) in chickpea and highest wheat grain yield (4130 kg/ha) were recorded in cattledung manure + vermicompost + poultry manure combination compared to other organic manure combinations and control. However highest protein (12.14%) and mineral contents (1.58%) in wheat grains were recorded where cattledung manure + poultry manure combination of organic manures was applied. Application of either cattledung manure + poultry manure or cattledung manure + vermicompost + poultry manure combinations showed the highest soil organic carbon (0.64%), dehydrogenase (132 mg TPF/kg soil/124 h) and phosphatase (82 mg p-nitro phenol/kg soil/h) and soil microbial biomass carbon content (348 mg/kg soil) at the end of crop cycle compared to control.