Synergistic impact of biofertilizer consortia on vegetative growth of gladiolus under different concentrations

Abstract

Gladiolus, being highly popular and well-known, is extensively utilized in home gardening and landscaping, apart from its widespread use as a cut flower. The cultivation practices for crops in India, including flower crops like Gladiolus, heavily rely on the use of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. However, the prolonged use of these inorganic inputs has led to various issues, such as land degradation, toxicity, and declining surface and groundwater quality, posing significant threats to land sustainability and soil health. Consequently, the concept of natural farming is gaining widespread popularity, emphasizing the use of organic manures and fertilizers, along with exploring bio-substitutes to replace synthetic fertilizers, growth regulators, pesticides, and insecticides. The results showed that the maximum vegetative growth parameters viz. plant height at 30 days (59.94 cm), 60 days (90.87cm), 90 days (120.56 cm); number of leaves(21.54); fresh weight of plant (161.78) was observed highest under treatment T7 (PSB + KSB + ZSB + Azotobacter enriched vermicompost) and which was at par with treatment T5 (Azotobacter enriched Vermicompost). The minimum were observed in the treatment T1 (Control).