ORGANIC NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus L.)
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Date
2023
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Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during 2022 at the experimental farm, Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat to standardize the organic nutrient requirements and to study the effect of organic nutrients on fruit quality of cucumber. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of seven treatments in three replications. The treatments were T0: Control, T1: FYM 10t/ha, T2: FYM 5t/ha, T3: FYM 5t/ha+ Microbial consortium, T4:Vermicompost 5t/ha, T5:Vermicompost 2.5t/ha and T6: Vermicompost 2.5t/ha + Microbial consortia. The highest plant height (1.94m) was recorded in the treatment T4 which was at par with treatment T6 with a value of 1.93m at 30 days after sowing (DAS). At first flowering the highest plant height (3.44m) was obtained in the treatment T6 and was at par with the treatment T3, T5, T4 and T1 with values 3.38m, 3.32m, 3.31m and 3.23m, respectively.The highest internodal length (12.03cm and 12.27cm) at 30DAS and at first flowering were recorded in T0. Maximum number of primary branches (2.70 and 4.70) at 30DAS and at first flowering was exhibited by the treatments T1 and T6, respectively. Minimum days for appearance of first male flower (47.33), first female flower (54.33) and the lowest node for appearance of first female flower (6.45) were observed in the treatment T6. The highest male flowers per plant (99.00) were found in T2, whereas female flowers per plant (13.98) and male-female flower ratio (8.34) were the maximum in the treatment T1. Minimum number of days to first fruit harvest (66.33) was recorded in T6. The highest fruits per plant (10.92) and fruit set percentage (94.82) were exhibited by the treatment T4. Maximum fruit length (23.10cm) and fruit weight (267.67g) were obtained in T4 however, maximum fruit diameter was observed in T4 and T1 with a value of 7.50cm. Fruit volume (304.91cc) and shelf life (8.17 days) of fruits were recorded maximum in T4. The highest fruit yield per plant (2.92kg), fruit yield per plot (26.28kg) and total yield (243.33q/ha) were recorded in T4. Among the quality parameters moisture content (96.58%) was maximum in T1 and vitamin C content (4.63mg/100g) was maximum in T1 and T4. The highest ash (0.82%), protein (8.40%) and carbodydrates (1.07%) content were recorded in the treatment T4 however, the crude fibre content (0.72%) was found maximum in T3. The highest total chlorophyll content (1.05mg/100g) of fruit peel was obtained in T3. Among the soil parameters soil pH (4.88) in T1, organic carbon (0.92%) in T4 and microbial biomass carbon (296.60 μgg-1 soil 24 hr-1) in T6 were found maximum. Available N (283.93kg/ha), available P (50.01 kg/ha) and available K (162.97kg/ha) after harvest were maximum in the treatment T4. The highest net return (Rs. 594067.00) was obtained in the treatment T4 with a benefit cost ratio of 2.31. However, the highest benefit cost ratio was exhibited by the treatment T1 (2.83) with a net return of Rs. 566033.00 due to lower cost of FYM in T1.