Effect of nitrification inhibitors on physio-chemical properties, growth and yield attributes of Mulberry (Morusspp.)

Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of urea amended with nitrification inhibitors. Application of urea amended with nitrification inhibitors were influenced physiochemical properties of soil such as pH (7.47) and electrical conductivity (0.25 mhos/cm) were significantly low with neem oil coating as well as in DCD. Similarly the chemical properties such as available phosphorus (64.88 kg/ha) and potassium (299.88 kg /ha) were also significantly higher and on par due to coating with neeem oil or DCD as nitrification inhibitor. Significantly high soil physical properties such as porosity 45.69 % as well as water holding capacity and low bulk density was found low (1.14 mmhos/cm) were also found in soil treated with both neeem oil and DCD amended urea. The biochemical and physiological attributes viz., chlorophyll, sugar, leaf protein, moisture content and moisture retention capacity of mulberry were found higher when neem oil or DCD used as nitrification inhibitor. The yield parameters such as number of shoot per plant (10), plant height (177 cm), length of longest shoot (180 cm), number of leaves/shoot (32.18) and total leaf yield (11353 kg/ha/crop) were observed at par with the use of DCD and neem oil as nitrification inhibitors.