Optimizing Nutrient Management in Kinnow Mandarin through Organic and Bio-fertilizer Interventions

Abstract

A field study was carried out to Optimize Nutrient Management in three years old Kinnow Mandarin through Organic and Bio-Fertilizer Interventions during the year 2022-23 and 2023-24. Different treatments were applied i.e. T1: RDN through FYM, T2: RDN through Vermicompost, T3: RDN through FYM + Azotobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp., T4: RDN through Vermicompost + Azotobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp., T5: Cow based bio formulation (Liquid formulation 5 liter /plant/month + Solid formulation 1.5 kg/plant at 3 months interval) and T6: Control with four replications under randomized block design. The results of the study revealed significant increase in growth, yield and quality of Kinnow mandarin fruit crop. However, application of RDN through FYM + Azotobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp. and application of RDN through Vermicompost + Azotobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp. proved to be the best treatments in increasing the plant height (cm), plant spread (cm), stem girth (cm), fruit length (mm), fruit breadth (mm), average fruit weight (g), number of fruits per plant, yield (kg/plant), TSS (°Brix), decreasing acidity (%), TSS: Acid, Initial soil pH, EC (dS/m), SOC (%), Available N (kg/ha), P (kg/ha), K (kg/ha), bacterial count and fungal count. Thus, it can be concluded that effect of manures and bio fertilizers increases the growth, yield and quality of Kinnow mandarin.