Effect of Organic Manures and Natural Farming on Soil Properties and Nutrient Uptake by Carrot

Abstract

The present investigation carried out at the Research Farm Area of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Center of Excellence for Organic Farming, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during Rabi season 2022-23 with the objectives to evaluate the effect of organic manures and natural farming on growth, yield and quality of carrot as well as on microbial count and nutrient uptake and economics of carrot. The experiment consisting of 8 treatments i.e., T1- RDN through Farm Yard Manure (FYM), T2- RDN through Vermicompost (VC), T3- RDN through Poultry Manure (PM), T4- RDN through FYM + Biofertilizers, T5- RDN through Vermicompost + Biofertilizerss, T6- RDN through Poultry Manure + Biofertilizers (Azatobecter + PSB), T7- Cow based bio-formulations and T8- Control was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Total sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar %, TSS and N content and its uptake in root and shoot was also recorded the highest in treatment T5 whereas, P, K contents and their uptake in root and shoot were recorded highest in treatment T4. Soil organic carbon (0.69 %), available N (165.5 kg ha⁻¹), P (16.82 kg ha⁻¹), K (369.60 kg ha⁻¹) were observed maximum in treatment T5 and remained at par with the treatments receiving organic manures conjointly with biofertilizers. Microbial population of soil was recorded the maximum in treatment T5 (6.94 × 10⁶ cfu count g⁻¹ of soil) which was at par to treatments T1, T2, T4 and T7 but significantly higher over the control (6.52 × 10⁶ cfu count g⁻¹ of soil).