Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on growth, yield and quality traits of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. Chandler

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the research farm, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture Technology and Science, Allahabad during winter (Nov.- Mar.) of 2013-2014 to study the effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on growth, yield and quality traits of strawberry. Experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 11 treatments replicated thrice. Treatments comprising recommended dose of fertilizer (N:P:K- 150:75:100 kg ha-1), Vermicompost (5t ha-1), Poultry manure (5t ha-1), Farmyard manure (10t ha-1), Azotobacter ( 5kg ha-1), PSB (5kg ha-1) alone or in combination with different reducing levels of recommended dose of fertilizer. The results revealed that maximum plant height (19.53cm), number of leaves (17.93) and petiole length (10.07cm) were recorded in T5 ( 75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + Azotobacter @ 5kg ha-1 + PSB@ 5kg ha-1) followed by T7 ( 75% RDF + 25% Poultry manure + Azotobacter @ 5kg ha-1 + PSB@ 5kg ha-1). The minimum days taken to first flower appearance (58.43), maximum number of flowers (28.13), and yield (276.36 g/plant) were obtained by T5 followed by T8 (50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost + Azotobacter @ 5kg ha-1 + PSB@ 5kg ha-1). The maximum TSS (9.620Brix), Specific gravity (1.69), Acidity (0.81%), Total sugar (8.13%), Juice content % (84.99) and minimum pH (3.24) were recorded in T5 followed by T8. The least values were recorded in the control