Prediction of post-harvest soil test values and apparent nutrient balance after cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L var. botrytis) in Mollisol

Abstract

A Field experiment was conducted at Vegetable Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand) during 2015-16. The experimental site was located at 29° N latitude, 79° 27’ E longitudes and at an altitude of 217 m above the mean sea level. The experiment was conducted as per technical programme of All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) to develop Post harvest soil test values (PHSTVs), prediction equations adopting Inductive cum Targeted yield model [13], after cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L var. botrytis). The experiment was laid out in a fractional factorial design comprising twenty four treatments (21 fertilizer treatments + three controls) using pre-sowing soil test values, fertilizer doses and Curd yield and/or NPK uptake by the crop as independent variables and post-harvest soil test values as dependent variable, for developing prediction equations. Significant R2 values (>0.67) were recorded for prediction equations which showed that these equations could be used for the prediction of post-harvest KMnO4-N, Olsen-P and NH4OAc-K. Apparent nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium balances were found 9.67%, -32.76 and –4.22%, respectively in cauliflower. Using the predicted post-harvest soil test values of cauliflower, soil test based fertilizer recommendation for desired yield targets of any succeeding crop could be made.