Effect of Balanced Nutrient Management on Niger (Guizotia abyssinica) in Red and Lateritic Soils of West Bengal

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted on rice during rabi season of 2015 to study the effect of balanced nutrient management in nutrient availability, yield, uptake, protein and oil content in niger. The experiment was conducted using five levels of potassium viz., 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha-1 , four levels of sulphur viz., 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha-1 , four levels of zinc viz., 0, 2, 4 and 6 kg ha-1 , four levels of Boron viz., 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg ha-1 and nitrogen in a single dose @ 40 kg ha-1 using niger as the test crop. Stover and seed yield was increased with increasing application of sulphur. The highest seed yield (4.69 q ha-1 ) was recorded with application of highest doses of sulphur. Oil content of niger varied from 31.7% to 38.8%. Sulphur application also increased oil content. Protein content ranged between 15.05 to 21.12%. Both micronutrients and sulphur application resulted in increase in protein content in niger seeds Niger is a minor oilseed crop important under rainfed conditions, coarse textured, poor soils especially on hill slopes. Niger seeds contain a considerable quantity of edible oil (38 to 43%), protein (20%), sugar (12%), and minerals for human consumption and animal meals (Gentient and Teklewold, 1995). Cakes obtained after extraction of its oil are used as a nutritious cattle feed and the low grade oil cake is also used as concentrated organic manure in the agricultural lands. India is the chief producer of niger seeds in the world by contributing second and fourth position in the acreage and annual production of the world, respectively. In the country, it is extensively grown in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,