Influence of seaweed extract organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis) cv Pant sugra

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2018-2019 at Horticulture farm, Department of Horticulture, SHUATS, Prayagraj in Randomized Block Design with three replications and 9 treatments. The treatment consist of T1(10%SLF+100%NPK), T2(20%SLF+100%NPK), T3(30%SLF+100%NPK), T4(10%SLF+75%NPK), T5(20%SLF+75%NPK), T6(30%SLF+75%NPK), T7(10%SLF+50%NPK), T8(20% SLF+50%NPK), T9(30% SLF +50%NPK) and T0(Control). The results reveals that treatment T8 (20% Seaweed liquid fertilizer +50% NPK) emerged as superior over all other treatment combinations in terms of plant height (53.90 cm), No. of leaves (18.40), plant spread (63.63 cm), diameter of the curd (54.83 cm), weight of the curd (0.80 g), yield per plot (4.40 kg) and yield (110.77 qha-1). The increased in the growth and yield parameters is due to the concentration of 20% seaweed liquid fertilizer. The experimental results obtained during soil analayis showed treatment T1 (10% seaweed liquid fertilizer + 100% NPK) have higher availability of Organic Carbon (0.23 %), EC (0.24 dSm-1), Nitrogen (145.10 kg/ha), Phosphorous (13.67 kg/ha) and Potassium (225.83 kg/ha). Treatment T8 (20% seaweed liquid fertilizer + 50% NPK) showed higher B:C ratio (2.47) compared with the other treatments under Allahabad Agro- Climatic conditions. However, since this is based on one season experiment, further trials may be needed to substantiate the results.