MSc

A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm
attached to the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1999-2000 to
study the combined effect of chemical fertilizers and organic manures
on the productivity and quality of chilli, to assess the possibility of
substitution of fertilizers by organic manures and also to work out the
economics of production. The treatments consisted of combined
application of chemical fertilizers and organic manures viz. poultry
manure, vermicompost and neemcake in various ratios of 3: 1, 1: 1, 1:3
and 0:2. The control treatment was POP recommendation of KAU (20 t
ha! of FYM + 75:40:25 kg N, P205 and K20). The experiment was laid
out in randomised block design. An abstract of the result is given below.
Plant height, number of branches, shoot-root ratio and dry matter
content differed significantly with various treatments. All these
parameters were found to be increasing with increased level of chemical
nitrogen. Shoot-root ratio was highest for vermicompost applied plots
whereas the maximum value for all other growth parameters was produced
by poultry manure treatments.
All the yield parameters were significantly influenced by various
treatments. Higher fruiting phase and fruit set was observed with







2
increasing chemical nitrogen level and maximum value was obtained
for poultry manure treatment (3: 1). Poultry manure treatment (1: 1)
gave good performance with respect to number of fruits per plant,
harvesting interval and total yield. Higher levels of poultry manure
along with chemical fertilizers also performed well. Length of fruit
was highest for vermicompost treated plots along with chemical
fertilizers (1: 1).
Highest level of chemical fertilizer along with poultry manure
gave good results with respect to LAI and dry matter production. RGR,
CGR and NAR was highest for vermicompost applied plots. Keeping
quality and ascorbic acid content was higher for poultry manure
treatments.
Regarding residual nutrients high soil K was registered by higher
level of neemcake along with chemical fertilizer. Highest soil N was
noted by highest dose of poultry manure (0:2). Poultry manure and
chemical fertilizer in equal proportion obtained highest value for soil P.
Highest dose of poultry manure together with chemical nitrogen gave
good result for NPK content of plants. NPK uptake was also higher for
poultry manure treatments. Incidence of bacterial wilt was least in dual
application of chemical fertilizer and neemcake in the ratio 3: 1.
The economics of cultivation revealed that poultry manure and
chemical fertilizer application in equal proportion (1: 1) gave maximum
net returns and benefit-cost ratio.