Integrated Nutrient Management of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cv. Arka Anamika
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Date
2008
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MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
A field study entitled “Integrated Nutrient Management of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cv. Arka Anamika ” was conducted at Horticulture cum Instructional Farm, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, during summer season (February to June) 2006 and 2007. The soil of experimental site was clay loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorus and potassium.
The objectives of experimentation were to assess effect of inorganic, organic sources, bio-fertilizers and their combinations with reduced level of inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield, quality, physico-chemical characters, economics of okra culture and NPK status of soil after completion of crop. The experiment consisted of 16 treatments comprising of neem cake, vermicompost, Azotobacter, PSB, chemical fertilizers, and their combinations viz., recommended dose of NPK (60:30:30 kg/ha) through inorganic fertilizers (control) (T1), neem cake (6 q ha-1) + vermicompost (15 q ha-1) + Azotobacter + PSB (sole organic) (T2), neem cake (6 q ha-1) + 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T3), neem cake (9 q ha-1) + 40% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T4), vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T5), vermicompost (15 q ha-1) + 40% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T6), Azotobacter + 60% recommended dose of N + full dose of P and K through inorganic fertilizer (T7), Azotobacter + 40% recommended dose of N + full dose of P and K through inorganic fertilizer (T8), PSB + 60% recommended dose of P + full dose of N and K through inorganic fertilizer (T9), PSB + 40% recommended dose of P + full dose of N and K through inorganic fertilizer
* Research Scholar, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur (Rajasthan).
** Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur (Rajasthan).
(T10), neem cake (6 q ha-1) + vermicompost (10 q ha-1) + 60% recommended dose of
NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T11), neem cake (9 q ha-1) + vermicompost (15 q ha-1) + 40% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T12), Azotobacter + PSB + 60% recommended dose of N and P + full dose of K through inorganic fertilizer (T13), Azotobacter + PSB + 40% recommended dose of N and P + full dose of K through inorganic fertilizer (T14), neem cake (6 q ha-1) + vermicompost (10 q ha-1) + Azotobacter + PSB + 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T15) and neem cake (9 q ha-1) + vermicompost (15 q ha-1) + Azotobacter + PSB + 40% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer (T16), respectively. These treatments were evaluated under randomized block design with three replications.
The results of the present investigation indicated that the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizers + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB recorded significantly maximum growth parameters in terms of plant height at 30, 60 and 90 DAS (38.80, 57.65 and 77.48 cm) respectively, stem base diameter (2.25 cm), number of primary branches (5.49) and total fruit bearing nodes plant-1 (19.18), number of flowers plant-1 (21.10), followed by 40% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 9 q ha-1 + vermicompost 15 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB.
Similarly, the length of internodes (3.45 cm) and number of nodes at which first fruit set plant-1 (2.38), number of days required for bud initiation and 50 per cent flowering (18.69 and 22.91 per cent) respectively, were also minimized significantly with the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB followed by 40% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 9 q ha-1 + vermicompost 15 q ha–1 + Azotobacter + PSB.
The yield components of okra viz., number of fruits plant-1 (18.36), fruit yield plant-1 (182.50 g), and average fruit yield ha-1 (135.18 q) were also highest with the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizer + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB followed by 40% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 9 q ha-1 + vermicompost 15 q ha–1 + Azotobacter + PSB. The fruit yield was increased 29.30 per cent over recommended dose of NPK (60:30:30
kg ha–1) through inorganic fertilizers.
The crop attained highest fruit weight (17.65 g), length of fruits (12.26 cm) and thickness of fruits (1.898 cm) when applied with neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB + 60% recommended dose of NPK through inorganic fertilizers, followed by the application of neem cake 9 q ha-1 + vermicompost 15 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB + 40% recommended dose of NPK, while, the colour of fruits were found non-affected by the integrated nutrient supply.
The maximum LAI at 30 and 60 DAS (2.382 and 3.117), total chlorophyll content at 30 and 60 DAS (0.311 and 0.390 mg g-1 fresh weight), nitrogen (2.275%), phosphorus (1.060%), potassium (1.443%) of leaves and protein content of fresh fruits (1.86 g 100 g-1), were recorded with the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB which were significantly increased by 16.99 and 7.67 per cent in LA1 at 30 and 60 DAS, 9.12 and 15.38 per cent in total chlorophyll content at 30 and 60 DAS, 62.26, 62.57 and 39.42 per cent in NPK content of leaves at final harvesting and 55 per cent in protein content of fresh fruit over recommended dose of NPK (60:30:30 kg ha-1) through inorganic fertilizers, followed by applying 40% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 9 q ha-1 + vermicompost 15 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB in respect of aforesaid traits of okra.
After final harvesting, the maximum available nitrogen (208.15 kg ha-1), P2O5 (37.58 kg ha-1) and K2O (265.65 kg ha-1) were resulted with the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB in comparison of recommended dose of NPK (60: 30: 30 kg ha-1).
The available nitrogen, P2O5 and K2O significantly increased by 10.65, 30.98 and 5.62 per cent over recommended dose of NPK through chemical fertilizers. Similarly, the availability of these nutrients in second year (2007) before sowing was also increased in comparison of previous year and recommended dose of NPK through chemical fertilizers.
The maximum net return of 1,23,542.40 Rs ha-1 and benefit cost ratio 3.19 was recorded by the application of 60% recommended dose of NPK + neem cake 6 q ha-1 + vermicompost 10 q ha–1 + Azotobacter + PSB over recommended dose of NPK (60:30:30 kg ha-1) through chemical fertilizers. The application of integrated nutrients also improved the post harvest fertility status of the soil after harvest of the crop.
Description
Integrated Nutrient Management of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cv. Arka Anamika
Keywords
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Citation
Bairwa and Mahawer, 2008