Vol. 18 No. 1
Effect of organic and inorganic nutrient sources on soil physico-chemical and microbiological properties in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh
Author(s): K. Sharma, R. Kaushal, S. Sharma and M. Negi
Abstract: An experiment was conducted with seven treatments consisting of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrients to study the changes in soil property and the growth of cauliflower in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. Results revealed that application of vermicompost along with jeevamrit significantly affected soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties. The application of 100 per cent recommended doses of nutrients through vermicompost + jeevamrit @ 1.5 L/4.32 m2 was found with highest available NPK (339.20, 65.30, 453.30 Kg ha-1), available Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn (4.43, 19.78, 3.14, 12.90 mg Kg-1), soil dehydrogenase and phosphatase activity (55.73 μg TPF-1 g soil-1 24hr-1, 512.67 μ mol l-1 g soil-1 hr-1) and viable microbial counts (18.53 x 105, 4.25 x 103, 3.42 x 103 cfu g-1 for bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes, respectively). Thus, 100 per cent application of vermicompost along with jeevamrit (1.5L/4.32 m2), a nutrient module may be suggested for the farmers which showed better results on physical, chemical as well as microbiological properties of soil as compared to chemical fertilizers.