Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, flowering and yield of subtropical plum cv. Kala Amritsari

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the integrated response of application of organic and inorganic chemical fertilizers along with biofertiolizers (viz., Azotobactor and Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria) on subtropical plum cv. Kala Amritsari, conducted during 2016-17 and 2017-18 at Experimental Orchard of Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. It comprised of 11 treatment levels of plum in recommended block design with three replications. The main objectives were to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of plum, to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on shelf life. Growth parameters of plum were significantly affected by the organic and inorganic fertilizer. The maximum increase in plant height (0.27 m), per cent increase in plant height (4.91 %), annual shoot growth (70.63 cm), leaf area (13.13 cm2) and chlorophyll index (23.88) was observed in the treatment T11: 75% of N + 12.5 % N through vermicompost + 12.5 % N through FYM+ biofertilizers. The maximum number of flowers/ feet of shoot (87.19), number of fruit set per feet of shoot (32.58), final fruit set (20.50%) and fruit firmness (4.01 kg/cm2), fruit weight (12.35 gm), fruit yield per tree (53.43 kg/tree), were found significantly higher by the application of T11: 75% of N + 12.5 % N through vermicompost + 12.5 % N through FYM+ biofertilizers, over all the treatment studied.