INFLUENCE OF NUTRITION AND VAM FUNGI ON PLANT GROWTH PARAMETER, PHYSIO-CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FRUIT AND YIELD OF PAPAYA (CARICA PAPAYA L.) CV. PUSA DELICIOUS

Abstract

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the most important commercial fruit crops of tropical and subtropical region of globe and India as well. Majority of nutrient is lost either in soil through leaching and most of the phosphorous is fixed by some soil components into a form, which are not readily available to the plants. An experiment was carried out at the experimental farm of ICAR (RC) for NEH Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra during 2006-2007 to find out the influence of various doses of NPK+VAM on plant growth, flowering, fruit characteristics and yield of papaya. Total of thirteen treatment combinations were taken with four replications to execute the experiment. One third of N and full amount of P and K & rhizogold (VAM) were applied just before planting of papaya seedling as basal dose and rest N in two split doses. The application of full dose of NPK+10 g rhizogold per plant registered more stem girth (11.45 cm), early flowering (98.50 DOP), fruiting zone (148.65 cm), number of fruits per plant (49.25) and fruit yield (59.62 kg/plant). The full dose of NPK+15 g rhizogold was also at par for the fruit weight and yield. The increase in fruit yield and enhancement in fruit quality was due to higher uptake of nutrients by the plants as influenced by vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae in root zone of the plants.