The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of tillage methods and Integrated Plant Nutrition System (IPNS) based fertilizer management during 2014-15 at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Jessore on the productivity of potato. Three tillage methods viz., (i) Bed planting (T1), (ii) PTOS (Power Tiller Operated Seeder (T2) and (iii) Conventional tillage (T3) in combination with five types of nutrient management packages viz., (a) STB fertilizer dose from chemical fertilizer (F1), (b) 120 % of chemical fertilizer over STB fertilizer doze (F2), (c) 80 % from chemical (Soil Test Based fertilizer doze STB) + 20 % from vermi-compost (STB) fertilizer doze (F3), (d) 80 % from chemical (STB) + 20 % from conventional compost (STB) Fertilizer doze (F4), farmers practice (F5) were as the treatments. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three dispersed replications. It was found that bed planting was given the highest yield (24.11 t ha-1) followed by PTOS (23.95 t ha-1) and conventional tillage (23.60 t ha-1). In case of fertilizer application it was found that 120 % of chemical fertilizer over STB fertilizer doze gave the highest yield (25.18 tha-1) followed by 80 % from chemical (STB) + 20 % from vermi-compost (STB) (24.11 t ha-1) farmer practice (23.53 t ha-1), STB fertilizer dose from chemical fertilizer (23.48 t ha-1) and 80 % from chemical (STB) + 20 % from convention compost (STB)(23.11 t ha-1). In case of interaction effect of tillage and fertilizers management, it was found that there were no significant effect among them however T2(PTOS) + F2 (120 % of chemical fertilizers over STB fertilizer doze) gave the highest yield (26.33 t ha-1).

Keywords: Conservation tillage, IPNS, vermicompost, potato production

Bio-slurry is a renewable source based organic fertilizer that can improve the nutrient status of soil. An on-farm verification trial of bio-slurry was carried out at farming system research and development site, Jalalpur, Sylhet during rabi season of 2011-12. The aim of the study was to verify the effect of integrated use of bio-slurry along with inorganic fertilization on the performance of radish in agroecological zone (AEZ) 20. The trial was replicated thrice with three treatments viz. T1: soil test basis (STB) inorganic fertilizer dose for high yield goal (HYG), T2: cowdung (CD) bio-slurry @ 5 t ha-1 along with IPNS basis inorganic fertilizer dose for HYG and T3: farmers’ practice i.e. average of 20 farmers’ fertilizer dose. Results revealed that the highest root yield of radish (45.60 t ha-1) was recorded from T2 treatment that was closely followed by T1 treatment (42.60 t ha-1). Increment of radish yield in T2 was 107 and 111% compared to T1 and T3 treatments, respectively. Highest gross return (Tk 3,64,800 ha-1), gross margin (Tk 3,05,550 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (6.16) were also obtained from the same treatment (T2). But, post harvest chemical analysis of soil indicated that there were no significant changes in soil pH, OM and other nutrients due to application of bio-slurry. However, as bioslurry based crop revenue is more profitable than others and therefore nutrient package N-P-K-S-Zn-B @ 67-44-99-25-2-2 kg ha-1, respectively + CD bio-slurry @ 5 t ha-1 might help provide higher yield of radish as well as sustainable crop management in AEZ 20.

Keywords: Bio-slurry, IPNS, yield of radish, crop revenue