Use of Integrated Nutrient Management to Enhance Soil Fertility and Crop Yield of Hybrid Cultivar of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Under Field Conditions

Abstract

The field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of integrated nutrient management practices on soil fertility and crop yield of hybrid cultivar of brinjal (Solanum melongena L. cv. F1 Hybrid purple long) under field conditions. During the study, ten nutrients treatments viz., without nutrient (control) (T1), recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (T2), vermicompost @ 5t ha–1 (T3), sugarcane pressmud compost (SPC) @ 5t ha–1 (T4), farm yard manure (FYM) @ 12.5t ha–1(T5), sewage sludge (SS) @ 2t ha–1(T6), T7 (50 % RDF+vermicompost @ 5t ha–1), T8 (50 % RDF+SPC @ 5t ha–1), T9 (50 % RDF+FYM @ 12.5t ha–1) and T10 (50% RDF+SS @ 2t ha–1) were used for the cultivation of S. melongena. The results revealed that different treatments showed significant (P<0.05/P<0.01) change in the soil characteristics viz., EC, OC, TKN, PO43–, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn of the soil. Among various treatments the most plant height, root length, dry weight, chlorophyll content, LAI, number of flowers/plant, fruits/plant, crop yield/plant, crude protein, dietary fiber, total carbohydrates and total sugar of S. melongena was recorded with 50% RDF+vermin compost @ 5t ha–1. The agronomical performance of S. melongena was observed in the order of T7>T10>T9>T8>T3>T6>T5>T4>T2>T1 treatments. Therefore, sole vermin compost and 50% RDF along with vermicompost @ 5 t ha–1can be used to obtain the maximum crop yield of S. melongena.