Integrated management of nitrogen and phosphorous through bio-inoculants and organic manures in sprouting broccoli – Brinjal cropping sequence under mid - hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The studies entitled Integrated management of nitrogen and phosphorous through bio-inoculants and organic manures in sprouting broccoli brinjal cropping sequence under mid - hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh were conducted at the experimental farm of Department of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, CSKHPKV, Palampur (HP) with the objectives to study the effect of organic manures, bio-inoculants and chemical fertilizers on yield and quality parameters, to study the response of various sources of organic and inorganic fertilizers on uptake of nutrients and to work out economics of different treatments. The fifteen treatments comprising of three levels of each nitrogen and phosphorous (50%, 75% and 100%),three bio-inoculants (Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Phosphorous Solubilizing Bacteria) and two organic manures (farmyard manure and vermicompost) were laid out in RBD with three replications during Sep,06 to Sep,2008. The response of different integrated nutrient management treatments in sprouting broccoli variety Palam Samridhi revealed significant variation with respect to various parameters studied. Maximum values for days to first harvest (94.5), plant height (49.6cm), plant spread (2809.1cm2), number of leaves per plant (17.2), terminal head weight (175.5g), number of spears per plant (8.6), spear yield per plant (108.1g), harvest index (27.5%), marketable yield per plant (287.5g), marketable yield per hectare (106.4q), vitamin C (98.6 mg/100g), dry matter (13.9%), gross returns (Rs 1,59,600/ha), net returns (Rs 1,00,507/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.70) were recorded in treatment T14 (100% NPK + FYM + Azospirillum) followed by treatment T13 (100% NPK + FYM + Azotobacter). The maximum uptake of nitrogen (134.0 kg/ha), phosphorous (24.81 kg/ha) and potassium (124.95 kg/ha) were observed in treatment T14 (100% NPK + FYM + Azospirillum), T15 (100% NPK + FYM+ PSB) and T13 (100% NPK + FYM + Azotobacter), respectively. The response of different integrated nutrient management treatments in brinjal variety Arka Keshav also revealed significant variation for the various traits except days to first picking. The minimum days to 50% flowering (53.1) and maximum values for number of branches per plant (8.5), plant height (87.7cm), fruit length (22.4cm), fruit girth (9.6cm), total number of fruits per plant (27.2), average fruit weight (38.1g), number of marketable fruits per plant (15.5), marketable yield per plant (440.6g), marketable yield per hectare (163.2q), vitamin C (17.9mg/100g), dry matter(8.5%), gross returns (Rs 1,30,560/ha), net returns (Rs 69,620/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.14) were obtained in treatment T14 (100% NPK + FYM + Azospirillum) followed by treatment T13 (100% NPK + FYM + Azotobacter) . Total uptake of nitrogen (85.34kg/ha) and potassium (80.96 kg/ha) was the highest in T14 (100% NPK +FYM + Azospirillum) whereas, treatment T15 (100% NPK + FYM + PSB) recorded highest total phosphorus uptake (22.43kg/ha).The highest values with respect to N, P and K over the pooled years were 323.2 (T13), 21.0 (T15) and 249.0 kg/ha (T13), respectively, which resulted in build up of 31.3 kg/ha N, 7.05kg/ha P and 28.0kg/ha K over the initial status of the soil. The studies revealed that 100% NPK (125:75:50 in sprouting broccoli and 100:50:50kg/ha in brinjal) + farmyard manure (20t/ha) + Azospirillum (seedling dip) were found best for obtaining higher values w.r.t. growth, yield, quality parameters, nutrient uptake and available nutrients (NPK kg/ha) in sprouting broccoli and brinjal. This treatment resulted in higher yield of 16.3 and 7.2 per cent and benefit cost ratio of 2.70 and 2.14 over recommended practice in sprouting broccoli and brinjal, respectively. The application of 100%NPK (125:75:50 in sprouting broccoli and 100:50:50kg/ha in brinjal)+farmyard (20t/ha) manure+ Azotobacter (seedling dip) was observed next best treatment. Based on two years studies, it can be concluded that application of 125:75:50kg NPK/ha+20 tonnes farmyard manure+Azospirillum (seedling dip) in sprouting broccoli and 100:50:50kg NPK/ha+20 tonnes farmyard manure + Azospirillum (seedling dip) in brinjal resulted in highest yield, better quality produce, highest net returns as well as benefit cost ratio in mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh.