Effect of Different Cultivars and INM on Physiological Growth Indices of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)
Sameer Shrivastava *
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Chandra Bhushan
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
S. K. Verma
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
S. K. Rajpoot
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Mohammad Vaheed
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Peeyush Kumar Jaysawal
Department of Agronomy, Birsa Agriculture University, Jharkhand, India.
Shubhendu Singh
Department of Agronomy, Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Integrated nutrient management (INM) plays a crucial role in enhancing the physiological growth of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2023–24 and 2024–25 to evaluate the effect of Indian mustard cultivars and different INM practices on physiological growth parameters. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with five cultivars (V1 -‘RH 1706’, V2 -‘RH 1424’, V3 -‘RH 725’, V4 -‘RH 749’, and V5 -‘Giriraj’) assigned to the main plots and four nutrient management treatments [F1-100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN), F2-75% RDN + farmyard manure (FYM), F3-75% RDN + vermicompost (VC), and F4-75% RDN + poultry manure (PM)] allocated to the sub-plots, with three replications. Crop growth rate (CGR) and absolute growth rate (AGR) were determined at different crop growth stages following standard growth analysis procedures. Cultivar effects on AGR and CGR were non-significant during 30–60 days after sowing (DAS) but became significant during 60–90 DAS. Among the cultivars, RH 725 consistently showed the highest AGR and CGR, followed closely by RH 749. Integrated nutrient management significantly improved all physiological growth parameters across both years. The application of 75% RDN combined with poultry manure recorded the highest AGR and CGR. This treatment was statistically at par with 75% RDN + vermicompost and significantly superior to 75% RDN alone. The enhanced growth under INM was attributed to balanced nutrient availability, improved soil biological activity, sustained nutrient release, and greater dry matter accumulation. This study demonstrates that integrating organic nutrient sources with reduced inorganic fertiliser enhances physiological growth and biomass production in Indian mustard. Among the tested combinations, ‘RH 725’ supplied with 75% RDN + poultry manure emerged as one of the most promising options for improving crop growth under the agro-climatic conditions of the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains.
Keywords: Absolute growth rate, crop growth rate, dry matter accumulation, integrated nutrient management, Indian mustard, Brassica juncea L., cultivar, poultry manure, vermicompost, eastern indo-gangetic plains