Influence of Organic Amendments and Microbial Consortium on Growth and Yield Performance of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cv. Japanese White

Abstract

Radish is cultivated for its delicate roots, which are consumed raw in salads or as a cooked vegetable. It provides a beneficial supply of fibre, vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, as well as a valuable source of riboflavin, vitamin B6, magnesium, copper, calcium, and manganese. Biofertilizers are recognized as a supplementary source for soil fertility because they enhance nutrient availability via living organisms. The current study was conducted to examine the effect of organic inputs and microbial consortium on the growth characteristics of radish cv Japanese white. The study was conducted at the experimental farm, Department of Horticulture, Jorhat, in the years 2018-19 and 2019-20. Data aggregated over two years showed that T8 (80:60:60kg NPK + 10t FYM ha-1) produced Radish yields of 191.45q ha-1, while T7 (Enriched compost 5t ha) yielded 169.73q ha-1. The application of various nutrient sources had a significant impact on the growth and yield-related traits. The tallest plant height (32.84 cm), greatest number of leaves (16.31), longest leaf length (24.91 cm), widest leaf width (7.6 cm), and highest leaf area index (3.42) were observed in treatment T8, followed by 29.25 cm, 16.0, 22.73 cm, 7.35 cm, and 3.35 in T7, respectively. Data collected over two years showed that the longest root length (25.45cm) and the widest root diameter (2.715cm) occurred in treatment T8. In the organic treatments, the greatest root length (24.26 cm) and highest total yield (25.41 t ha-1) were observed in treatment T7. All the growth and yield metrics were significantly inadequate in T1:(Rock phosphate + Consortium). Out of the inorganic treatments, T8 recorded the highest total yield of 22.75 t ha-1. Among the organic treatments, T7 showed a higher total yield of 18.34 t ha-1, which was followed by T6 (17.30 t ha-1). The lowest total yield was found in T1 (7.34 t ha-1). From the study, it was clearly observed that organic manure and microbial consortium had a positive impact on the growth and yield of radish. Among organic treatments, T7: T1 Enriched compost (5 t ha-1) was found to be best.