Impacts of phosphorous and zinc under different nutrient management strategies on the performance of berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) diploid varieties: A comparative yield and economic analysis

Abstract

Identifying a high-yielding and economically advantageous berseem variety, along with optimal nutrient management strategies, is crucial for maximizing fodder and forage crops productivity and profitability. To accomplish these objectives, a field experiment was carried out in a split-plot design during the rabi season of 2022-2023. The main plot accommodated two different berseem varieties (BL-42 and Mescavi). The subplot consisted of nine different nutrient combinations: Control, 100% recommended dose of phosphorus (RDP), 100% recommended dose of zinc (RDZn), 100% RDP + one Nano spray (P), 75% RDP + two Nano spray (P,) 50% RDP + three Nano spray (P), 100% RDZn + zinc solubilizing bacteria (ZnSB), 75% RDZn + ZnSB, and 50% RDZn + ZnSB. The study assessed the effects of phosphorus and zinc nutrient management on the physiological and morphological responses, yield attributes, and economic attributes of various berseem cultivars. The results revealed that the Mescavi variety outperformed the BL-42 variety regarding physiological growth and biomass yield. The Mescavi exhibited an 18% increase in green fodder output and a 24% increase in dry matter yield compared to the BL-42 variety. In addition, applying 100% RDP+ one Nano spray (P) resulted in a substantial increase of 144% in green fodder production and 330% in dry matter yield compared to the control treatment. Mescavi yielded a gross return of 32793 ? ha-1 and a net return of 19985 ? ha-1 compared to the BL-42 variety, with a gross and net return of 27635 ? ha-1 and 14827 ? ha-1, respectively. The treatment comprising of 100% RDP + one Nano spray (P) resulted in the highest gross and net return (37866.67 and 23666.67 ? ha-1, respectively) as compared to the control treatment (15512.44 and 4296.94 ? ha-1, respectively). The notable differences in output and returns confirmed the effectiveness of specific agronomic approaches in enhancing the profitability and sustainability of fodder farming