Tuber quality of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as influenced by consortium biofertilizers and nutrient levels

Abstract

The field experiment to assess the influence of consortium biofertilizer PGPR Mix –I and nutrient levels on the quality characters in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was conducted at College of Agriculture Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The treatments involved four levels of biofertilizer (PGPR Mix- I) and three levels of nutrients (SDN - standard dose of NPK, 50: 50: 100 kg ha-1). The individual effect of the biofertilizer revealed the highest nutrient, starch and protein contents and the lowest HCN content in tubers of plants fertilized with PGPR Mix - I (5% and 2%). Among the different levels of nutrients, 100 per cent SDN produced maximum starch content (27.81%). Highest protein (2.63%) and lowest HCN (49.10 mg kg-1) content were registered in 75 and 50 per cent of SDN respectively, the latter being on par with 75 per cent SDN. Neither the starch nor the protein was affected by the interaction, whereas the treatment combination PGPR Mix - I liquid (5%) + SDN (75%) recorded the lowest HCN. Thus it can be concluded that the quality of cassava tubers were positively influenced by the biofertilizer consortium and NPK levels and better tuber quality was realised with liquid PGPR Mix-I application at 5% and NPK dose of 37.5: 37.5: 75 kg ha-1.