Optimizing Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Levels for Enhanced Yield and Quality of Custard Apple (Annona squamosa L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to assess the nutrient dose and its impact on the growth, yield, and quality of custard apples. The experiment was performed on a 10-year-old custard apple orchard in Mrig Bahar at the Instructional Cum Research Orchard Arid Zone Fruit Project, Department of Horticulture, M.P.K.V., Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar. Treatments comprising combinations of three different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in all possible 27 combinations were split into different growth stages and replicated twice in a Factorial Randomized Block Design. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were applied in the form of urea, single super phosphate, and muriate of potash, respectively. The application of FYM @ 20 kg + PSB @ 25 g + Azotobacter @ 15 g + Trichoderma @ 15 g per plant and the treatment N1P2K1 i.e. 250:175:125 g N: P2O5:K2O g/plant dose of inorganic fertilizers with scheduling of nutrient viz., 50 % N, 50 % P2O5 and 50 % K2O as a basal application, 20 % N, 50 % P2O5 and 25 % K2O at fruit set stage, 20% N and 25 % K2O at lemon size fruit stage and 10 % N at one month before harvesting has given 23 % increasing fruit yield (kg/plant) as well as highest number of fruits per plant, maximum fruit weight (g) and quality of custard apple.