Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth, Yield and Quality of Broccoli (Brassica Oleracea L. Var. Italica) in Light Textured Soil of Western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) in light textured soil of western Uttar Pradesh” was conducted at HRC, SVP University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut during rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Total sixteen treatment combinations in INM practices i.e., T1: Control, T2: 150 Kg N + 100 Kg P2O5 + 100 Kg K2O/ha (RDF), T3: 75 % RDF + 25% FYM, T4: 75 % RDF + 25% Vermicompost, T5: 75 % RDF + 25% FYM + PSB, T6: 75 % RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB, T7: 75 % RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azospirillum, T8: 75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azospirillum, T9: RDF + FYM, T10: RDF + Vermicompost, T11: RDF + FYM + PSB, T12: RDF + Vermicompost + PSB, T13: RDF + FYM + PSB + Azospirillum, T14: RDF + Vermicompost + PSB + Azospirillum and they were tried to assess the growth, yield and quality of broccoli. Out of these, treatment T14: RDF + Vermicompost + PSB + Azospirillum was observed as the most excellent treatment in terms of plant height (cm), plant spread (E-W and N-S), number of leaves plant-1, length of leaf (cm),width of leaf (cm), leaf area (cm2), stalk length (cm), stalk diameter (mm), days to first head initiation, days to 50% head initiation, days to 50% head maturity, head maturity duration (days), head length (cm), head weight (g), number of secondary heads plant-1, secondary head weight (g), yield (q/ha), dry matter content of the head (%), uptake of N, P and K (kg/ha), available N, P and K and Benefit: cost ratio, however, the above parameters were found minimum under control. On the other hand, treatment T8: 75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azospirillum found superior for quality parameters like Vitamin A (IU), Vitamin C (mg/100g) and protein content (%) and observed with minimum values for all the characters in treatment T1 (Control) during both the years of experimentation. Hence, an application of T14: RDF + Vermicompost + PSB + Azospirillum can be suggested to get a higher yield of broccoli as well as the maximum net return per hectare and B: C ratio under Western Uttar Pradesh condition.