MSc

An experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani to standardize the nutrient schedule for organic bhindi from June 2009 to November 2009. The experiment was laid out in factorial RBD with three replications. The treatments consist of graded levels of nitrogen supplied in the form of organic manure combination and one control (RDF), and irrigation (rainfed with green leaf mulching and need based irrigation). The objectives of the study were to standardize the organic manuring schedule for bhindi and to assess the effect of different levels of organic manure combination and irrigation on growth, yield and quality of bhindi. It was intended to work out the economics of bhindi and bhindi – amaranthus sequence and also to study the residual effect of the different levels of organic manures.

The highest level of organic nutrient combination (100 % of nitrogen equivalent - 17 t FYM + 2.83 t vermicompost + 1.47 t glyricidia leaves ha-1) recorded maximum plant height (90 DAS), highest number of fruits plant -1, highest fruit yield plant -1, highest total fruit yield ha-1, highest crop WUE of 43.36 kg ha-1mm-1 and highest yield of amaranthus (residue crop) compared to the lower levels of organic nutrition. Maximum number of branches was recorded by the RDF. Quality attributes like crude protein content was significantly highest and crude fibre content was lowest in plots receiving the highest nutrient level. Nutrient uptake (N and P) was also significantly more in plots receiving highest level of organic nutrition. The highest B:C ratio for bhindi as well as bhindi – amaranthus sequence was recorded by the highest dose of organic nutrient combination.

Plants which were rainfed and mulched recorded significantly more number of branches, leaves, better LAI (60 and 90 DAS) and DMP (at harvest). The rainfed plots also recorded a significantly better fruit setting %, higher fruit yield plant-1 and higher yield of residue crop compared to that of irrigated plots. Compared to the irrigated plots which required 845 l of water for the entire crop duration, the rainfed mulched plots required only 130 l of water as irrigation water for the entire crop duration, thus saving about 84.62 % of water. Uptake of N and K was more in rainfed mulched plots compared to that of irrigated plots. B:C ratio of bhindi and bhindi – amaranthus was also significantly influenced by irrigation.

Organic nutrient combination at 50 % of nitrogen equivalent with rainfed mulched plots recorded highest LAI at 60 DAS. Organic nutrient combination at 100 % of nitrogen equivalent with rainfed mulched plots recorded highest number of fruits plant-1, lowest crude fibre content, highest N P K uptake and B:C ratio of bhindi and bhindi – amaranthus sequence.