Efficacy of Inorganic Phosphorus and Farmyard Manure on Production and Quality of Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Abstract

Organic and inorganic fertilizers improve soil fertility and give both macro and micronutrients to the soil for better growth of agricultural crops. Therefore, current study was designed to find out the efficacy of inorganic phosphorus (P) alone and in combination farmyard manure (FYM) applied in various doses on production and quality aspects of garlic. A field experiment was organized in a randomized complete block design, replicated thrice using different rates of P in the form of single super phosphate (SSP) and farmyard manure (FYM). Seven different treatments of various levels of P, either using inorganic phosphorus from SSP alone or in combination with organic phosphorus from FYM, i.e. T0 = control; T1 = 50 kg P.ha-1 (SSP); T2 = 70 kg P.ha-1 (SSP); T3 = 90 kg P.ha-1 (SSP); T4 = 25 kg P.ha-1 (SSP) + 25 kg P.ha-1 (FYM); T5 = 35 kg P.ha-1 (SSP) + 35 kg P.ha-1 (FYM); T6 = 45 kg P.ha-1 (SSP) + 45 kg P.ha-1 (FYM)] were applied to the soil. All the growth, yield and quality parameters recorded showed significant response when P was applied in combination of inorganic and organic sources as compared with control and inorganic P alone. A combined treatment of 45 kg P.ha-1 (SSP) + 45 kg P.ha-1 (FYM) gave comparatively better results in terms of plant height (66.87 cm), fresh leaf weight (2.70 g), leaf area plant-1 (83.83 cm2), relative leaf chlorophyll content (11.90), weight of bulb plant-1 (42.66 g), diameter of bulb (4.50 cm), number of cloves bulb-1 (8.50), bulb yield (4382.96 kg ha-1) and vitamin C content (6.43 mg 100 g-1). Thus, it was concluded from this study that a combined treatment of 45 kg P.ha-1 (SSP) + 45 kg P.ha-1 (FYM) should be applied for quality production of garlic under rainfed conditions of Rawalakot.