Soil properties and productivity of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) under integrated nutrient management system in acid inceptisol of Meghalaya

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi 2017-18 at School of Natural Resource Management, College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Umiam, Meghalaya to study the effect of various organic and inorganic nutrient sources on quality, productivity of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) and soil properties in acid Inceptisol of Meghalaya. Cabbage cv. Wonder Ball was used as test crop with eight different combinations of doses of Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Vermicompost (VC) and recommended doses of NPK fertilizers (RDF). The treatment combination consists of control (T1), 100% RDF (T2), 100% N through FYM (T3), 100% N through VC (T4), 50% RDF + 50% N through FYM (T5), 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM (T6), 50% RDF + 50% N through VC (T7) and 75% RDF + 25% N through VC (T8). The experiment was laid out in RBD and replicated thrice. The experimental soil was having pH 4.87, SOC 1.24 %, Alkaline KMnO4- N 160 kg/ha, available P2O5 18.60 kg/ha and available K2O 238.4 kg/ha. The experimental results revealed that treatment T7 with 50% RDF + 50% N through VC produced highest cabbage yield (60.44 t/ha) which was statistically comparable with T5 of 50% RDF + 50% N through FYM (54.33 t/ha). The yield obtained in T5 was almost same as obtained with 100% RDF alone (T2). The quality of cabbage with respect to head compactness, head shape index also followed the same trend. The combined application of 50% RDF + 50% N through VC in T7 maintained good soil physical, chemical and biological health after harvest indicating best suitable option for higher production of quality cabbage in acid Inceptisol of Meghalaya.