Growth, yield and quality of knol-khol (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) as affected by fertilizer management

Khulakpam Naseeruddin Shah; Indra Jeet Chaudhary; Deepak Kumar Rana; Vivek Singh

doi:10.5455/faa.48471

Authors

Khulakpam Naseeruddin Shah Department of Horticulture, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
Indra Jeet Chaudhary School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat, 382030, India
Deepak Kumar Rana Department of Horticulture, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
Vivek Singh Department of Horticulture, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5455/faa.48471

Keywords:

Bio-fertilizer, organic manures, growth, yield, Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi (winter) season of 2016-2017 at Horticultural Research Center, Department of Horticulture, Chauras Campus, HNB Garhwal University, of Uttarakhand to assess the effectiveness of combined dose of organic manure and fertilizer on knol-khol (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) vegetable crop. The study involved twenty treatments viz., no fertilizer control (T₀), recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) 100% (T₁), RDF 50% (T₂), Azospirillum (T₃), Azotobacter (T₄), Neem cake (T₅), Chicken manure (T₆), RDF 75% + Azospirillum (T₇), RDF 75% + Azotobacter (T₈), RDF 75% + neem cake (T₉), RDF 75% + chicken manure (T₁₀), RDF 50% + Azospirillum (T₁₁), RDF 50% + Azotobacter (T₁₂), RDF 50% + neem cake (T₁₃), RDF 50% + chicken manure (T₁₄), Azospirillum + Azotobacter (T₁₅), Azospirillum + neem cake (T₁₆), Azospirillum + chicken manure (T₁₇), Azotobacter + neem cake (T₁₈), Azotobacter + chicken manure (T₁₉), and neem cake + chicken manure (T₂₀). The results showed that the treatment T7 (RDF 75%+ Azospirillum) is more efficient over other treatments in terms of yield. The highest yield was found (61.83% over control) in treatment T₇ (RDF 75% + Azospirillum) as compared to control (T₀). Different fertilizer-use efficiencies were significantly improved with the application of organic, inorganic and bio-fertilizer over control as well as chemical fertilizer alone. The treatment T₇ (RDF 75% + Azospirillum) showed maximum nutrient use efficiency and the minimum value was recorded in T₂ (RDF 50%) > T₁ (RDF 100%) > T₁₇ (Azospirillum + chicken manure) > T₁₅ (Azospirillum + Azotobacter) > T₅ (neem cake) and T₀ (control). Study concluded that the combination of organic manure and bio-fertilizer improved the growth and yield of knol-khol (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) plant. Therefore, the application of organic manure and bio-fertilizers are recommended for knol-khol production.