Sood, K. K.Syed, Qurat Ul Ain Binte2024-07-092024-07-092024-05-27Syed, Q. 2024. Effect of sowing depth and integrated nutrient management on growth performance of Melia azedarach and Melia composita in nursery stage. Ph.D. Thesis, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu37204https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810211666The present investigation“Effect of sowing depth and integrated nutrient management on growth performance of Melia azedarach and Melia compositain nursery stage”was carried in the farm of Division of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha during the year 2022-2023. The experiment on sowing depth consisted of Factorial Complete Randomized Design having two factors i.e, two species of Melia and three sowing depths (D1(0.2mm), D2(0.4 mm) and D3(0.6 mm))with 5 replications.Melia composita had significantly higher values for growth parameters viz, germination percentage, collar diameter, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, length of primary root, fresh root weight, dry root weight, total seedling fresh weight and total seedling dry weight in both the years as well as for the overall mean.However, mean germination time was significantly lowerin Melia compositathan that of Melia azedarach in both the years as well as for their overall mean. The better germination and growth parameters of Melia composita in the current study as compared to Melia azedarach could be due to larger sized seeds in Melia composita and thereby having more food reserves and seed vigour. Growth parameters were also significantly influenced by sowing depth treatments in Melia azedarach and Melia composita in the year 2022-2023. Germination percentage, collar diameter, number of leaves, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, length of primary root, fresh root weight, dry root weight, total seedling fresh weight and total seedling dry weight were statistically superior in sowing depth D1 (0.2mm) in comparison to the remaining sowing depths. However minimum mean germination time was lowest in sowing depth in D1 (0.2mm). Overall sowing depth of D1 (0.2mm) proved to be the best in term of growth performance of both the species. In the second experiment the design of the experiment was Factorial Complete Randomized Design with three replications. The first factor included two species of Melia: Melia azedarach and Melia composita. The second factor included18 integrated nutrient treatments. Growth parameters were significantly affected by the type of species. Melia composita had higher collar diameter, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, length of primary root, number of secondary roots, dry root weight, total seedling dry weight and seedling quality index than Melia azedarach. However, mean germination time in Melia composita was significantly lower than Melia azedarach. The values of growth parameters i, e germination percentage, collar diameter, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, length of primary root, number of secondary roots, dry root weight, total seedling fresh weight, total seedling dry weight, seedling quality index, coefficient of velocity germination and germination rate index in both the study years were significantly higher in T16 (1.0 g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg)except T15 (1.0 g N @ FYM + 1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg) where it was statistically at par. In both the years under investigation available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) in soil containing Melia azedarach was significantly higher than Melia composita in 2022 and 2023. The overall mean values of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil containing Melia azedarach seedlingswas also significantly higher as compared to Melia composita. In the current study the maximum available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) was observed in soil for the year 2022 and 2023 in T16 (1.0g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg). The values in 2022, 2023 as well as over all mean values for available N, P, K in T15(1.0 g N @ FYM + 1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg),were statistically at par with T16 (1.0g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg).During the both years as well as for the overall mean nitrogen, phosphorusuptake in leaves, rootsand plant as a whole was significantly higher in Melia composita than Melia azedarach. In the year 2022and 2023 and for over all mean potassiumuptake inleaves, shoot, roots and plant as a whole was also significantly higher in Melia composita. NPK uptake in leaves, shoot, roots and plant as a whole were also significantly influenced by the integrated nutrient treatments inMelia azedarach and Melia composita in the year 2022 and 2023. The overall mean of pre-said parameters also showed similar trend. NPK uptake in leaves, shoots, roots and plant as whole were maximum in integrated nutrient treatment T16 (1.0g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg ). T15 (1.0 g N @ FYM + 1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg) is the treatment were NPK uptakes in leaves, shoots and roots was statistically at par with those of T16 in 2022 and 2023.The overall values for N, P and K uptake in leaves, shoots roots had the same pattern. Lowest cost of seedling production was observed in T16(1.0g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg) in 2022, 2023 in Melia composita as well as Melia azedarach. The overall value of cost of production was also lowest in this treatment in both the species. For better germination and growth T16(1.0 g N @VC +1.0 g N + 2.0 g P + 2.0 g K/kg) should be preferred. Further, studies need to be done to compare out planting success of seedlings raised using different sowing depth treatments and different integrated nutrient management treatments in both the species.EnglishThesis