Integrated nutrient management for enhancement of productivity, profitability and nutrient usages in cauliflower-onion system

Abstract

The cauliflower-onion system is gaining popularity in urban and semi-urban areas for various reasons. Nutrient management in the system mode of intensive vegetable production is crucial for better growth and higher vegetable productivity. Integration with organic sources has been advocated for predominant systems along with inorganic nutrient sources. However, the information regarding vegetable crops on the subject is scanty. Hence, a study was conducted for two years in the Cauliflower-Onion system with treatments of only recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), green manuring (GM) with RDF, farm yard manure (FYM 10 t ha-1), GM, FYM and biofertilizers in recently released high yielding varieties of cauliflower (Pusa Shukti, Pusa Paushja) and onion (Pusa Riddhi and Pusa Madhavi). The results revealed that green manuring along with RDF resulted in maximum curd yield of cauliflower for Pusa Shukti (34.3 and 35.0 t ha-1) and Pusa Paushja (30.1 & 30.2 t ha-1), onion bulb yield in Pusa Riddhi (31.5 & 30.1 t ha-1 ) and Pusa Madhavi (25.6 & 25.1 t ha-1) during 2017 and 2018 respectively. Also, the higher net return, production efficiency, and profitability were recorded under green manuring with RDF. The overall increase in onion bulb yield of Pusa Riddhi and Pusa Madhavi was 10.8 and 14.5 %. In comparison, cauliflower was even higher to the tune of 23.86% (Pusa Shukti) and 19.76 % (Pusa Paushja) under GM+RDF over RDF, respectively.