Effect of organic nutrients, biofertilizers and biocontrol agents on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Abstract

A field experiments on “Effect of organic nutrients, biofertilizers and biocontrol agents on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)” was conducted at Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam. The fenugreek variety NRCSS – AM-1 used in this study. The seeds were sown in line at the distance of 20 x 10 cm in the raised beds of uniform size. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) and replicated thrice. Biometrical observations on growth, pod and yield parameters were recorded and datas’ were analysed statistically. The results revealed that combined application of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers along with Azospirillium (50g/bed), Phosphobacteria (50g/bed), Pseudomonas fluorescence (50g/bed) and vermicompost (100g/bed) (T9) resulted in the highest values of growth characters viz., plant height (35.27 cm), number of primary (6.90) and secondary branches (14.63), days taken for 50 per cent flowering (48.25 days) and intermodal length (2.70 cm) followed by T7 (RDF + Azospirillium (50g/bed), Phosphobacteria (50g/bed)). Control (T10) registered the lowest values for all the traits (22.67 cm; 5.20; 10.77; 56.25 days; 2.20 cm). In the case of yield characters, T9 recorded the highest values of the traits viz., number of pods per plant (48.25), pod length (11.25 cm). number of seeds per pod (15.67), seed yield per plot (85.97 g) and estimated yield (429.67 kg/ha). The control (T10) observed the lowest values of all the yield characters (33.20; 8.40 cm; 10.33; 52.00 g; 329.67 kg/ha). Regarding B:C ratio, T9 registered the highest ratio of 1.89 and it was followed by T7 (1.80) where as the lowest B:C ratio was recorded by control (T10) of 1.25. It was noticed that treatment T9 (Azospirillium, Phosphobacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescence and vermicompost) recorded 40 per cent increased yield over the control.