Integrated Nutrient Management Package for Field Cultivation of Makhana in North Bihar

Abstract

Makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) cultivation in field conditions has just begun, making it imperative to develop an integrated nutrient management (INM) package for realizing the yield potential of makhana in north Bihar. A three year experiment was carried out. Application of NPK @75:45:30 kg ha-1 led to a yield improvement of 10% over control, with an additional improvement of 8.2% by NPK @100:60:40 kg ha-1, which was 19% higher than the yield under control. No yield increment was recorded with further increase in NPK i.e. @125:75:50 kg ha-1. However, T3 in combination with FYM @20 t ha-1 caused 22% yield enhancement over NPK @100:60:40 kg ha-1 and 45.2% over control. Even the sole application of FYM @20 t ha-1 resulted in 28% higher yield compared to control and 7.6% yield advantage over NPK @100:60:40 kg ha-1. Clearly, makhana yield was boosted by both NPK and FYM, applied alone or in combination. However, the effect of FYM was more pronounced than that of NPK, implying that the yield of makhana was not limited as much by NPK availability as by the factors contributed by FYM application. FYM-induced increases in organic C and micronutrients could be credited for better yield boosting effect of FYM. To conclude, an INM package consisting of NPK @100:60:40 kg ha-1 with FYM @20 t ha-1 is recommended for materializing the yield potential of makhana in field conditions of north Bihar.