Standardisation of fertilizer schedule for export oriented production of bhindi

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the instructional farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to find out the effect of different levels of fertilizers and their split application on the growth, yield, quality and nutrient uptake of bhindi. Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench. The treatments consisted of four levels of nutrients Viz. (330: 110: 220 kg N2 P2O5 & K2O), the present T & V recommendation, 2/3 of the T & V recommendation, 1/3 of the T & V recommendation and 50: 8: 30 kg NP2O5 & K2O per hectare the present package of practices recommendation and 3 methods of application viz. nutrients in 2 splits, 4 splits and 6 splits. The results revealed that nutrient levels significantly influenced most of the growth and yield contributing characters and yield of bhindi. Biometric characters like plant height, LAI, CGR, DMP and yield contributing characters like days to 50 percent flowering, number of flowers formed, number of fruits formed total yield of fruits and quality parameters like protein content and ascorbic acid content increased with increasing levels of nutrients, recording their maximum value at F1 level, (T and V recommendation). Uptake of nutrients by plants, fruits and total was also maximum for the same treatment. However yield attributes viz. setting percentage, length and girth of fruits etc. remain unchanged with increasing levels of nutrients. Application of fertilizer nutrients in different splits viz. 2,4 or 6 cause significant variation in some of the growth and yield characters. An increase in the plant height at 60 DAS, DMP, days taken for 50 percent flowering and uptake of nutrients was noticed when nutrients were supplied in two equal splits, viz half as basal and half 30 DAS (S1). On the other hand the ascorbic acid content in fruits was maximum when nutrients were applied in six splits. Application of nutrients in 6 splits caused a significant reduction in the crude fibre content also. From the economic point of view, the maximum net profit of Rs.13682.54 was obtained by F3 level (2/3 of T and V recommendation) and Rs.14710.8 by S1 (2 equal splits half as basal and half 30 DAS).