Effect of residual fertility of preceding marigold crop on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of radish (Raphanus sativusL.) crop

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of residual fertility of organic manures and biofertilizers of preceding marigold crop on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of radish crop for consecutive two years (2008–10) at Students’ Farm, College of Agriculture, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. In the present experiment, radish was raised immediately after marigold crop in the same plots without disturbing the layout to study the residual fertility of organic manures and biofertilizers on succeeding radish crop. Among the different treatments imposed, treatment GM+CC 6 t/ha+BF recorded highest plant height (22.89 cm), number of leaves per plant (7.53), fresh weight of leaf (30.26 g), fresh weight of root (64.74 g/plant), dry weight of leaf (14.18 q/ha), dry weight of root (17.88 q/ha), root length (20.39 cm), root girth (3.63 cm), root yield (19.26 t/ha), T. S. S. (4.05%) and ascorbic acid content (14.53 mg/g fresh weight), N uptake by leaf (30.63 kg/ha) and root (48.94 kg/ha), P uptake by leaf (6.52 kg/ha) and root (10.79 kg/ha) and K uptake by leaf (30.82 kg/ha) and root (48.34 kg/ha) at harvest. Available nitrogen (236.21 kg/ha), phosphorus (33.85 kg/ha) and potassium (251.05 kg/ha) in soil after harvest of radish were high with GM+CC 6 t/ha+BF.