Soil test based fertilizer requirements for Oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon)
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Date
2009
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College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
The emphasis on soil test based fertilization has become much more relevant in the present scenario of high fertilizer cost and yield maximization programme. Oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon) belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae is an important vegetable crop of Kerala. The present study was undertaken to test verify the targeted yield equations developed for oriental pickling melon by the AICRP on STCR centre, Vellanikkara of Kerala Agricultural University in farmers’ field. For this purpose fields were selected at two locations in Pattikkad area of Thrissur district during the year 2008-09. Test experiments consisted of six treatments namely, farmer’s practice (T1), package of practices recommendations of KAU (T2), soil testing laboratory recommendations of Kerala (T3), STCR recommendations for a yield target of 30 t ha-1 (T4), STCR recommendations for a yield target of 45 t ha-1 (T5) and organics alone (T6) . Among the treatments, T4 (STCR recommendation for a yield target of 30 t ha-1) gave the maximum yield and B/C ratio. Soil, plant and fruit analyses were carried out to study the nutrient interactions in the plant and the quality aspects of the fruit. From the interaction study it was found that the maximum uptake occurs for the nutrient K followed by N and K. Fruit yield as such was influenced by the soil K content. Similarly the plant K content also showed positive correlation with the yield. High N contents in the soil at the harvest stage of the crop negatively influenced the yield. Fruit yield increased with the N content in the fruit. Keeping quality of the fruit decreased as the N content in the fruit increases. Crude fibre content decreased the rotting percentage of the fruit. Addition of fertilizers increased the vitamin C and Si contents in melon. From this study it can be concluded that the fertilizer applied as per the targeted yield equations is contribute much towards the crop requirements for good yield. However future works have to be done in several other locations before the recommendation of these equations.
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