Influence of different nutrient sources and mulching on yield attributes, Rhizome yield and profitability of turmeric crop

Abstract

In the present study, A two year field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm of A.N.D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P during Kharif seasons of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to evaluate the effect of different nutrient sources and mulching on yield attributes, yield and profitability of turmeric crop. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design with 12 treatments and three replications. Two Treatments comprised of chemical fertilizer inputs [T1 (100% NPK through Recommended Dose of Fertilizers) and T4 (100% NPK + 40 kg S/ha)]; four comprised of organic inputs [T2 (100% N {through FYM}), T3 (100% N {through Vermi Compost}), T8 (100% N {FYM}+ mulch) & T9 (100% N {VC}+ mulch)] and six comprised of a mixture of Inorganic & organic inputs [T5 (100% N {FYM}+ 40 kg S/ha), T6 (100% N {VC}+ 40 kg S/ha ), T7 (100% NPK + mulch), T10 (100% NPK + 40 kg S/ha + mulch), T11 (100% N {FYM}+ 40 kg S/ha + mulch) & T12 (100% N {VC}+ 40 kg S/ha + mulch)]. The data revealed that the number of rhizomes, weight of rhizomes, fresh and dry rhizome yield increased significantly with mulch and sulphur combined application over no mulch treatments. The application of mulch conserves moisture and lowers soil temperature as compared to pure crop of turmeric and this might have contributed to better growth of plant which leads to improved crop yield. Maximum benefit:cost ratio was observed with T12 followed by T11 with the ratio of 2.61 and 2.88 during both the years of 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively. The minimum (1.38) benefit:cost ratio was recorded in T3 during 2017-18 and was minimum (1.63) in T2 during 2018-19. The results showed that application of mulch proved to be more profitable in turmeric cultivation.