Bhatt, LalitPriyanka2024-11-292024-11-292023-08-01Academic Researchhttps://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810216744A field experiment was undertaken at Vegetable Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand (India) during September to February 2021-22 and 2022-23 to study the influence of NPK levels on growth, yield, quality, nutrient content, nutrient uptake, nutrient and water use efficiency of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) under drip and conventional irrigation system. The experiment was laid out in two factorial randomized block design with three replication. The first factor comprises of two methods of fertilization i.e., fertigation and conventional method whereas, second factor being eight treatments having different NPK levels viz., T1 having recommended dose (RD) of NPK, T2 having RD of N0PK (P and K only), T3 with RD of NP0K (N and K only), T4 having RD of NPK0 (N and P only), T5 having RD of N0P0K (K only), T6 with RD of N0PK0 (P only), T7 being RD of NP0K0 (N only) and T8 as control (N0P0K0). The findings of present investigation revealed that performance of broccoli was significantly influenced by drip fertigation and also by different levels of NPK application. Based on pooled data, fertigation of broccoli at recommended dose of NPK was found best with respect to growth parameters i.e., plant height (82.55 cm), number of leaves (34.33), head weight (500.94 g) and total yield per hectare (163.12 qha-1) along with maximum TSS (12.29 ºB) and ascorbic acid (45.84 mg/100 g). The same treatment was also observed to be the best with highest uptake of nitrogen (154.20 kg/ha), phosphorus (35.45 kg/ha) and potassium (101.23 kg/ha). Similarly, recommended dose of NPK was also observed best in terms of nitrogen use efficiency (62.73 kg/kg), phosphorus use efficiency (171.68 kg/kg) and potassium use efficiency (125.05 kg/kg). Maximum water use efficiency (75.85 kg ha-1mm-1) and profitability with a net return of `164571.40 and benefit-cost ratio of 3.57 was also recorded in similar treatment. Hence, it is recommended for commercial cultivation of broccoli.EnglishThesis