Integrated nutrient supply system for cauliflower-French bean-okra cropping sequence in humid temperate zone of north-western Himalayas

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years at Vegetable Farm, Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur to investigate the response of integrated nutrient management on cauliflower- French bean-okra cropping sequence. A total of 10 treatment combinations comprising of manures alone, their integration with plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and different levels of NPK fertilizers were laid out in RBD, replicated thrice in vegetable based sequence of cauliflower, French bean and okra. Integrated use of manures, fertilizers and PGPR significantly influenced yield and plant growth attributes in all three crops. The highest yield was recorded in treatment comprising of vermicompost @ 20 t ha-1 + 75% of recommended dose of NPK + PGPR (T8) with average increase of 9.46, 2.36 and 1.14% over the recommended practice (T2) in cauliflower, French bean and okra, respectively alongwith highest annual net returns. The uptake of N, P and K was similar in T8 and T2 in the respective crops and these treatments also maintained the highest available NPK contents in the soil over T1. This can be concluded that conjoint use of vermicompost, PGPR and chemical fertilizers resulted in saving of 25% fertilizers (NPK), better performance of growth attributes, higher yield and net returns besides enhanced soil health.