EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF TURMERIC (Curcuma longa L.) var. IISR PRAGATHI

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) var. IISR Pragathi” was carried out during the kharif, 2018-19 at College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The experiment was carried out with seven treatments viz., T1: Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Neem cake(500 kg ha-1),T2 : Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Azotobacter (2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1),T3: Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Neem cake (500 kg ha-1) + Azotobacter (2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1),T4 : Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Neem cake (500 kg ha-1)+ Azotobacter(2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1),T5 : 50 % NPK (Recommended Dose Fertilizer) + Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) +Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Neem cake (500 kg ha-1) + Azotobacter (2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1),T6 : 75 % NPK (Recommended Dose Fertilizer) + Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Neem cake (500 kg ha-1) + Azotobacter (2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1),T7 : Control – 100 % NPK (Recommended Dose Fertilizer ) in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that, among the treatments days taken for sprouting was non-significant. However, T7 treatment taken less days for sprouting (26 days). Significantly highest plant height (80.01cm), number of leaves plant-1(26.88), no. of tillers/clump (4.82) and leaf area index(6.27cm2) were recorded in T6 over other treatments, where as lowest plant height (65.30cm), number of leaves plant-1(22.64), no. of tillers clump-1 (2.20) and leaf area index(3.83cm2) were recorded in T2. All treatments differed significantly with respect to yield parameters. Among the treatments imposed, T6 recorded significantly highest no. of primary rhizomes plant-1(9.31), secondary rhizomes plant-1 (12.56), fresh weight of rhizomes plant-1 (520.00 g) and plot-1 (16.00 kg), maximum dry weight of cured rhizome plant-1(119.00 g) and plot-1(3.68 kg) as compared to other treatments. The lowest no. of primary rhizomes plant-1(3.81) was recorded in T1, where as lowest no. of secondary rhizomes plant-1(6.40), fresh weight of rhizomes plant-1(302 g) and plot-1(9.06 kg), dry weight of cured rhizome plant-1(53.15 g) and plot-1(1.59 kg) were recorded in T2. The results pertaining to quality parameters revealed that, significantly the highest curing percentage (24.36 %) was recorded in T4, where as the lowest curing percentage (17.0 %) was recoded in T2. Significantly highest curcumin content (4.74 %) was in T6, where as the lowest curcumin content (2.29 %) was recorded in T7. Soil Anaylsis results revealed that soil nutrient status among the treatments for P and K didn’t differ significantly. However, maximum availabile nitrogen (273.41 kg ha-1), phosphorous (49.50 ha-1) and potassium (587.53 kg ha-1) was recorded in T6, where as the lowest availabile nitrogen (104.02 kg ha-1), phosphorous (42.55 ha-1) and potassium (533.37 kg ha-1) in soil was recorded in T2. Organic carbon was high (0.75 %) in initial soil samples and was medium (0.50 %) in all the treaments after harvest. All treatments differed significantly with respect to Benefit :cost ratio. Among the treatments imposed, T4 recorded significantly highest (4.76) Benefit :cost ratio which was on par with T7 (4.44) and T3(4.09), where as the lowest Benefit :cost ratio (2.03) was recorded in T2. It is concluded from the above experiment that depending on response of turmeric for growth, yield and quality parameters T6 : 75 % NPK (Recommended Dose Fertilizer) + Farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) + Vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + Neem cake (500 kg ha-1) + Azotobacter (2 kg ha-1) + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (2 kg ha-1) is the best among all seven treatments inrespect of growth, yield and curcumin quality. However in the present INM studies, T4 is the best treatment for highest curing percentage and B: C ratio.