MSc

A pot culture study was conducted at the College of Agriculture,
Vellayani to assess the effect of level of nitrogen, organic amendments and
Azospirillum inoculation on the growth and productivity of vegetable chilli grown in
pots under modified drip system of irrigation. The experiment was conducted with
chilli cultivar 'Jwalamukhi' as test crop. The treatment included seven levels of
nitrogen (No - 0.0, N1 –O4, N2 - 0.8, N3 - 1.6, N4 - 3.2, N5 – 6.4 and N6 - 12.8 g plant-1)
three types of organic amendment application (O0 Control, O1 _ Vermicompost @
200 g plant -1 , O2 _ Poultry manure @ 100 g plant -1) and 2 types of microbial
inoculation (M0 _ No inoculation and M1 _ Azospirillum inoculation). Potting mixture
preapred by mixing sand, soil and cowdung in 1: 1: 1 proportion by weight was used
in the rooting medium. The medium was low in available nitrogen, medium in
available phosphorus and low in available potassium. The irrigation was provided
by modified drip system @ 1.5 litre of water plant-1 day-1. The experiment was laid
out in completely randomised design with three replications. The results of the
investigation are summarised below.
Plant height, number of branches, DMP, canopy spread and
RGR at different growth stages differed significantly with levels of nitrogen,
application of different types of organic amendments and microbial inoculation. All
these parameters were better under N6 level of nitrogen, application of poultry
manure and with Azospirillum inoculation. Time of 50 percent flowering was
minimised by N3 level of nitrogen, with poultry manure application and with
Azospirillum inoculation. Other yield parameters like number of flowers plant", fruits
plant-1, fruit girth and fruit length were better under N6 level of nitrogen, with poultry
manure application and with Azospirillum inoculation.
Maximum yield was obtained for Ns level of nitrogen, with
poultry manure application and with Azospirillum inoculation.

Uptake of N and P by plant was maximum at N6 level of
nitrogen, with poultry manure application and with Azospirillum inoculation. . But in
the case of K uptake it was maximum at N6 level, with vermicompost application and
with Azospirillum inoculation.
Profit pot-1 was maximum at N6 level of nitrogen, with poultry
manure application and without microbial inoculation.
The interaction between nitrogen, organic amendment and
microbial inoculation N6O2M1 registered maximum value for plant height, number of
branches plant", RGR (final stage, DMP, canopy spread, number of flowers plant-1,
number of fruits plant-1, ascorbic content of fruit, chlorophyll content of leaf, N uptake
and P20S uptake. In the case of 50 percent flowering N3O2M1 showed the minimum
number of days. N6O1M1 recorded the maximum value for K2O uptake. NSO2Mo
registered maximum profit pot-1.
Practical utility of this experiment is, where little land is
available and scarcity of water, vegetables can be profitably grown in pots with
modified drip irrigation and under integrated nutrient management system.