Economics of Cabbage Production Under Different Levels of Integrated Nutrient Management in Varanasi Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The excess use of chemical fertilizers is hazardous for soil and environmental health. To reduce the level of chemical fertilizers the field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2016-17 at horticulture research farm, Department of Horticulture, U. P. College, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with nine treatments. These treatments were replicated thrice. The treatments included various levels of NPK, FYM, vermicompost, Phosphorus Solubilizing Mycorrhiza. Economic analysis of different treatments of cabbage production in Varanasi region (Uttar Pradesh) revealed variation in net capital investment. The results show that among different integrated nutrient management (INM) levels, half dose of NPK ha-1 + Vermicompost @ 2.5 tons ha-1 + Azospirillum @ 5kg ha-1 + Phosphorus Solubilizing Mycorrhiza @ 5 kg ha-1 has highest net return followed by half dose of NPK ha-1 + FYM @ 15 tons ha-1 + Phosphorus Solubilizing Mycorrhiza @ 5 kg ha-1 + Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha-1. Lowest net return was observed with half dose treatment of NPK ha-1 + FYM @ 15 t ha-1. Cabbage crop nutrition by supplying recommended dose of NPK ha-1 (150 kg: 125 kg: 100 kg) recorded highest cost-benefit ratio (3.11) while, half dose of NPK ha-1 + FYM @ 15 t ha-1 gives lowest cost-benefit ratio (2.05) among the all INM levels.