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            | Application of Fertilizer |  
        Apply NPK fertilizers as per soil test  recommendation as far as possible. If soil test recommendation is not available  adopt a blanket recommendation of 135:62.5:50 NPK kg/ha. 
Apply quarter of the dose of N; full dose  of P2O  and K2O  basally before sowing.
In the case of ridge planted crop, open a  furrow 6 cm deep on the side of the ridge, at two thirds the distance from the  top of the ridge. 
Apply the fertilizer mixture along the  furrows evenly and cover to a depth of 4 cm with soil. 
If bed system of planting is followed, open  furrows 6 cm deep at a distance of 60 cm apart. 
Place the fertilizer mixture along the  furrows evenly and cover to a depth of 4 cm with soil.  When  Azospirillum is used as seed and soil application, apply 100 kg of N/ha (25%  reduction on the total N recommended by soil test).       Deficiency Symptoms  
        
          
            | Nitrogen deficiency  | : | Leaves become yellow, older leaves show drying at    the tips which progress along mid veins, stalks become slender.  |  
            | Phosphorus    deficiency | : | Leaves    are purplish green during early growth. Growth spindly, slow maturity,    irregular ear formation. |  
            | Potassium deficiency  | : | Leaves show yellow or yellowish green streaks,    become corrugated. Tips and marginal scorch.     Tips end in ears are poorly filled. Stalks have short internode.    Plants become weak and may fall down.  |  
            | Magnesium deficiency | : | Older leaves are the first to become chlorotic at margins and between    veins. Streaked appearance of leaves. Necrotic or chlorotic spots seen in    leaves. |  
            | Zinc deficiency | : | Older leaves have yellow streaks or chlorotic striping between veins.    In several cases, unfolding of young leaves, which may be white or yellow. |  
            | Iron    deficiency  | : | Interveinal    chlorosis. The entire crop may exhibit bleached appearance.  |    |