Effect of soil application of sulphur, farm yard manure and vermicompost on soil fertility, growth and yield of garlic <em>(Allium sativum</em> L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Karguwanji Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (UP) to find out the suitable doses of sulphur, FYM and vermicompost for garlic crop. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications having fifteen treatments viz., T1 - Control, T2 – FYM @ 10t ha-1, T3 - FYM @ 20 t ha-1, T4 ­– Vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1, T5 - Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1, T6 – Sulphur @ 20 kg ha-1, T7 - FYM @ 10 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 20 kg ha-1, T8 - FYM @ 20 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 20 kg ha-1, T9 - Vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 20 kg ha-1, T10 - Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 20 kg ha-1, T11 - Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1, T12 - FYM @ 10 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1, T13 - FYM @ 20 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1, T14 - Vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1 and T15 - Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1. Result revealed that the growth and yield parameters viz., plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of cloves per bulb, bulb diameter, clove weight, bulb weight and bulb yield increased significantly with increasing levels of sulphur, FYM and vemicompost. Application of vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + sulphur @ 40 kg ha-1 (T15) was recorded maximum plant height (48.8 cm), number of leaves per plant (8.1), number of cloves per bulb (20.6), bulb diameter (17.8 cm), bulb weight (29.3 g) and bulb yield (69.2 q ha-1) while maximum number of cloves per bulb (21.0) was observed with T12. Application of sulphur along with different doses of FYM or vermicompost improved the soil health and increased availability of nutrients in the soil.