Impact of drip-bio-fertigation on plant growth, yield and fruit quality of strawberry cultivated in central Indian Punjab

Abstract

A study was carried out to monitor the impact of drip-bio-fertigation on growth, yield and fruit quality of strawberry (cv. Chandler) during year 2017-18. For this purpose, Arka Microbial Consortium (AMC) was procured from Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with 10 treatments in three replications. Treatments included 100% RDF as control (T1), 100% RDF + PSB @ 7 l/ha (T2), 100% RDF + Azotobacter @ 7 Kg/ha (T3), 100% RDF + AMC @ 5 l/ha (T4), 100% RDF + AMC @ 7.5 l/ha (T5), 75% RDF + PSB @ 7 l/ha (T6), 75% RDF + Azotobacter @ 7 Kg/ha (T7), 75% RDF + Azotobacter @ 7 Kg/ha + PSB @ 7 l/ha (T8), 75% RDF + AMC @ 5 l/ha (T9), 75% RDF + AMC @ 7.5 l/ha (T10). The plant growth parameters viz. height (22.66 cm), spread (32.66 cm), number of leaves (30/plant), leaf area (135 cm2), LAI (4.52), leaf fresh weight (55.66 g) and leaf dry weight (11.46 g)were recorded to be highest under T3 among all the treatments. However, The physical and chemical characteristics of strawberry fruit viz. length (43.4 mm), breadth (30.69 mm), weight (16.1 g), TSS (12.9 0Brix), ascorbic acid (59.21 mg/100g), total sugar (6.41 %), reducing sugar (3.26 %) and non-reducing sugar (3.15 %) were recorded to be maximum under T5 among all treatments. The benefit-cost ratio were computed to be in the range of 2.38-2.96 with highest value under the combination, 100% RDF + AMC @ 7.5 l/ha. The application of Azotobacter @ 7 kg/ha + 100 % RDF and 100% RDF + AMC @ 7.5 l/ha helped to improve the plant growth and fruit yield respectively.