Performance of Dragon Fruit under Integrated Nutrient Management at Mizoram

Abstract

An investigation was performed during 2018-19 on newly planted red fleshed Dragon fruits spaced at 4mx2m with thirteen treatments viz. T1: Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) as 100% inorganic; T2: Farm Yard Manure (FYM) to supply 50% K + 50% RDF; T3: Vermi compost (VC) to supply 50% K + 50% RDF; T4: Neem Cake (NC) to supply 50% K + 50% RDF; T5: Farm Yard Manure (FYM) to supply 50% K + 50% RDF + Azotobacter (AZ) + Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) + Potash Solubilizing Bacteria (KSB); T6: VC to supply 50% K + 50% RDF+AZ+PSB+ KSB; T7: NC to supply 50% K + 50% RDF + AZ + PSB + KSB; T8: FYM to supply 25% K + VC to supply 25% K + 50% RDF + AZ + PSB + KSB; T9: FYM to supply 25% K + NC to supply 25% K + 50% RDF + AZ + PSB + KSB; T10: VC to supply 25% K + NC to supply 25% K+ 50% RDF + AZ +PSB + KSB; T11: FYM to supply 25% K + VC to supply 25% K + NC to supply 25% K + 25% RDF; T12: FYM to supply 25% K + VC to supply 25% K + NC to supply 25% K + 25% RDF + AZ + PSB + KSB; T13: Control (no fertilizer) and four replication per treatments arranged in Randomized Block Design. Results showed that plants at T5 had maximum yield (4.65 kg/vine) with maximum number of fruits per vine (14.67). However, the fruit weight (390.33g) and TSS (12.180 Brix) was found highest in T11 while, T2 had highest ascorbic acid content (21.90 mg/100g fruit weight).