STUDY ON SUBSTITUTION OF NUTRITIONAL SOURCE THROUGH ORGANICS AND BIO-INPUTS ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND CORM PRODUCTION IN GLADIOLUS (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) CV. AMERICAN BEAUTY

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Date
2017-07-26
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COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE VENKATARAMANNAGUDEM - 534 101, WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT Dr. Y.S.R. HORTICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The present investigation entitled as Study on substitution of nutritional source through organics and bio-inputs on growth, flowering and corm production in gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) cv. A merican Beauty was carried out at the College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh during Rabi 2016-2017. The experiment was laid out with 9 different treatments in a randomized block design (RBD) each replicated thrice. Data were recorded on various parameters viz. vegetative, reproductive, flowering, spike yield, corm characters and nutrient status of both soil and plant after harvest. The data were statistically analyzed based on ANOVA and critical difference values computed at 5% level were used to differentiate the treatments. Significant differences were observed on various parameters under study. The maximum values were recorded by the application of 75% RDF + 25% RDN through vermicompost + Azotobacter + PSB + KMB. Application of all three bio inputs along with 25% RDN through vermicompost and 75% RDF showed significantly the best results in respect of many vegetative growth parameters viz., number of days taken for sprouting, number of sprouts per corm, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area per plant, fresh weight of plant, dry weight of plant and total chlorophyll content when compared with 100% RDF (30N: 20P: 9K g m-2). Most of the floral parameters viz., number of days taken for spike initiation, number of days taken for basal floret to open, days taken for 50% flowering, days taken for 100% flowering, spike length at time of harvest, rachis length at time of harvest, number of florets per spike, size of floret, spike yield per plant, vase life in distilled water are significantly superior over other treatments. Application of 75% RDF + 25% RDN through vermicompost + Azotobacter + PSB + KMB exhibited significant superiority also in respect of corm characters such as number of corms per mother corm, corm diameter, corm weight, number of cormels produced per mother corm, cormel weight per plant, total weight of corms and cormels. Nutritional analysis of soil and plant also showed significant difference among the treatments. In soil, the available nitrogen (227.37 kg ha-1), phosphorous (47.06 kg ha-1) and potassium in soil (190.14 kg ha-1) were found maximum with the 25% substitution of RDN through vermicompost along with 75% RDF and all the three bio inputs. The same treatment also resulted in the maximum contents of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in leaves. The treatments comprising of only one or combination of two bio inputs along with 25% RDN in the form of vermicompost and 75% RDF were found on par in respect of many growth and flowering parameters. Application of inorganics alone in the treatment of 100% RDF (30N: 20P: 9K g m-2) was found to record significantly lower performance than the above nutritional treatments. The economic analysis revealed that maximum gross and net returns were realized by the treatment T8: 75% RDF + 25% RDN through vermicompost + Azotobacter + PSB + KMB which also recorded the highest benefit per rupee invested with benefit-cost ratio of 2.52.
Description
The experiment was laid out with 9 different treatments in a randomized block design (RBD) each replicated thrice. Data were recorded on various parameters viz. vegetative, reproductive, flowering, spike yield, corm characters and nutrient status of both soil and plant after harvest. The data were statistically analyzed based on ANOVA and critical difference values computed at 5% level were used to differentiate the treatments.
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College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh
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