Influence of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality parameters of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out in the Department of Horticulture, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (U.P.), India, during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to study the influence of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality parameters of papaya (Carica papaya L.). For this plant of Sapna cultivar was planted on 20th March during both years of experimentation at a spacing of 2.0 x 2.0 m. There were eighteen treatments comprising Azotobacter, PSB and vermicompost with graded dose of RDF including one control, replicated thrice in randomized block design. All treatments were applied at the time of planting in the field. The data of both the years of experiment were analyzed which clearly shows that during both years of experimentation increased plant height, girth, number and length of leaves, Biomass production in plant (green weight), number of flowers and fruits set per plant, fruit yield with minimum number of days taken to first flowering were produced with the application of RDF 75% + Azotobacter 100 g + PSB 100 g + vermicompost 2 kg/plant, whereas significantly minimum plant height, girth, number and length of leaves, biomass production in plant (green weight), number of flowers and fruits set per plant, fruit yield with increased number of days taken to first flowering was recorded in unfertilized plants. As the quality parameters are concerned, it is recorded that plants fertilized with RDF 75% + Azotobacter 100 g + PSB 100 g + vermicompost 2 kg/plant produced longest fruits with more width, weight, total soluble solids (TSS) and total sugar contents with minimum titratable acidity, whereas minimum length and width, weight, total soluble solids (TSS) and total sugar contents with maximum titratable acidity contents were recorded in fruits harvested from the plants which were kept under control (without any fertilizers application) during both years of experimentation.