Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PERFORMANCE OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF STRAWBERRY CULTIVAR WINTER DRAWN IN BAKSA DISTRICT, ASSAM, INDIA

Amrita Khound, D. Sharmah, M. Neog, P. K. Pathak and Gariyashi Tamuly

Abstract

The present demonstration was conducted under Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Baksa during 2018, 2019 and 2020 to identify a integrated plant nutrient supply through balanced fertilization of organic, inorganic and biofertilizers in strawberry cv. Winter Down and potential effect on growth and yield attributing parameters were investigated. Results revealed that Strawberry cultivar winter dawn showed superior performance on growth parameters like plant height (23.78 cm), number of leaves (26.71nos), numbers of runners (5.98 nos) and length of runners (67.25 cm) per plant in Azotobacter + PSB + vermicompost + 50% Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF)as compared to other treatments whereas control showed the minimum growth in all parameters. The plot treated with Azotobacter + PSB + vermicompost + 50% RDF also showed early flowering (47.79 days) with more number of flowers (46.23nos.) and early fruiting with more numbers of fruit per plant (36.62nos.) in strawberry cv. winter dawn as comparison to other treatments. The Individual fruit weight (35.67g) found larger in plot treated with Azotobacter + PSB + vermicompost + 50% RDF that varies significantly from plot treated with 100% RDF(34.57g), 50% FYM + 50% RDF (33.76g) and 50% Vermicompost + 50% RDF (33.87g) and control (13.59g). The highest yield per plant (538.29g) was obtained from Azotobacter + PSB + vermicompost + 50% RDF treated plot whereas (528.18g), (527.17g), (527.28g), (528.19g) and (241.19g) were achieved from 100% RDF, RDFwith N in two split dose as basal and before the onset of flowering, 50% FYM + 50% RDF and 50% Vermicompost + 50% RDF and control respectively and varies significantly among them. The Azotobacter + PSB + Vermicompost + 50% RDF treated plot found better combination of nutrient management practices in straw berry cultivation both in quality and yield point of view.