Studies on integrated nutrient management in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
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2015
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Field experiment was conducted during Rabi, 2014 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management in broccoli in terms of its growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake and economics. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and medium in available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The test crop broccoli (var. Sayali) received 10 different treatments namely ; absolute control (T0), 100 % RDF (T1), FYM @ 20 tonnes /ha (T2), 50 % RDF + FYM @10 tonnes/ha (T3), Neem cake @5q/ha(T4), 50 % RDF + Neem cake @ 2.5q/ha(T5), Vermicompost @ 5 t/ha (T6), 50 % RDF+ Vermicompost @ 2.5 t/ha (T7), Poultry manure @ 5t/ha (T8), 50 % RDF + Poultry manure @ 2.5 t/ha (T9). Each treatment was replicated three times and imposed over a statistically laid out field in randomized block design. The 100 % soil test based recommended dose of fertilizer for broccoli was 200:50:100 kg N P K/ha. Sayali variety of broccoli was transplanted at a spacing of 50cm x 40cm. Results revealed that the treatment T7 (50% RDF + Vermicompost @ 2.5t/ha) recorded maximum values for days to first harvest (51.00), plant height (56.56 cm), plant spread N-S (61.63 cm), plant spread E-W (64.91cm), number of leaves per plant (22.27), leaf area (405.45 cm2), leaf length (23.15 cm), leaf width (18.18 cm) and days to 50 % head initiation (50.67 days). The same treatment recorded highest head girth (42.76 cm), head diameter (14.16 cm), terminal head weight (327.57 g), head volume (595.67 cc), gross yield (233.56 q/ha), marketable yield (163.63 q/ha).Vitamin C (80.24 mg/g), dry matter (11.77 %), gross returns (Rs 700680), net returns (Rs 525510) and benefit: cost ratio (4.0) were recorded in treatment T7 followed by treatment T9 (50 % NPK + poultry manure). The maximum uptake of Nitrogen (140.74 kg/ha), Phosphorous (37.66 kg/ha) and Potassium (93.74 kg/ha) was also observed in treatment T7 followed by T9 and T3. The results indicated that soil test based recommended dose of fertilizer (50 %) combined with vermicompost was the best treatment for getting higher yield and return from broccoli.