Effect of Vrkshayurvedic Farming on Physiological Parameters, Nutrient Uptake, Pest and Disease Incidence in Bhendi

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to study the effect of Vrkshayurvedic farming on bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus) cv. Arka Anamika at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2007. This experiment was carried out to study the effect of green leaf manures and soaking of seeds along with foliar sprays of green leaf extracts on physiological parameters, uptake of nutrients and incidence of pest and diseases. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with twenty treatments (four green leaf manures i.e., Albizia lebbeck, Delonix regia, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala) incorporation @ 10t ha-1 in main plots and five different green leaf extracts i.e. Alangium salvifolium, Annona squamosa, Aegle marmelos, Morinda tinctoria and Ocimum sanctum) @ 5 per cent in the form of seed soaking and two foliar sprays at 25 and 45 days after sowing in sub plots) and two controls in three replications. Among the treatment combinations, Albizia lebbeck + Annona squamosa recorded the best performance for physiological parameters viz., dry matter production, crop growth rate and relative growth rate and highest uptake of N, P and K. The least incidence of pest and diseases also recorded in Albizia lebbeck with Annona squamosa.