Influence of Organic Nutrient Sources on Nutrient, Quality and Yield Parameters of Vegetable Cluster Bean

Aim: The experiment was taken up to study the influence of various organic nutrient sources on soil nutrient availability and their uptake and also on quality parameters of vegetable cluster bean.

Place and Duration of Study: the study was conducted at irrigated wetland farms, TNAU, Coimbatore during the year 2018.

Methodology: The RBD (randomized complete block design) design was adopted and replicated thrice. The total number of treatments were 12 with various basal applications of organic manures namely farm yard manure, vermicompost, humic acid, ghanjeevamrutham and also foliar spray combinations namely panchagavya and banana pseudo stem sap. The standard recommended cultural practices of organic farming were followed for all treatments except fertilizer application and synthetic chemical use.

Results: The data revealed that soil chemical properties viz., pH, EC and organic carbon were not significantly influenced by various organic nutrient sources. Significantly, higher values of N, P and K availability in soil and their uptake by cluster bean crop and crude protein content, crude fiber, ascorbic acid, moistures percentage in cluster bean pods were recorded with 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer and 2% foliar spray of TNAU pulse wonder. However, organic treatments were on par with inorganic treatments for all the nutrient, quality and yield parameters.

Conclusion: Organic treatments like organic farmers practice and FYM along with Panchagavya were recommended to improve nutrient use efficiency and quality of yield, eventually to benefit farmers and complete agricultural ecosystem in terms of profit and sustainability, respectively.