Enhancing Potato growth and economic returns through optimized integrated nutrient management (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Premchand Chaurasiya, Mohan Singh, Ravi Verma, Sonu Kumar, Shivanand Maurya, RS Singh and Om Chandra Pandey
A field experiment was carried out at the Vegetable Research Farm of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology in Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.), India, during the Rabi season of 2018-19. The study utilized a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The experiment included eight treatments that involved various combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Among the different integrated nutrient management practices, the treatments were as follows: T1: Control; T2: FYM @ 30 t/ha + bio-fertilizer (PSB); T3: poultry manure @ 5 t/ha + bio-fertilizer (PSB); T4: Vermi-compost @ 7.5 t/ha + bio-fertilizer (PSB); T5: FYM @ 10 t/ha + poultry manure @ 1.7 t/ha + vermi-compost @ 2.7 t/ha + bio-fertilizer (PSB); T6: recommended nitrogen dose (150 kg/ha), with 67% RDN supplied through inorganic sources and 33% RDN from FYM + bio-fertilizer (PSB); T7: recommended nitrogen dose (150 kg/ha), with 33% RDN from inorganic sources and 67% RDN from FYM + bio-fertilizer (PSB); and T8: Farmer practices (utilizing organic methods). Productivity and profitability of potato were significantly impacted by the simultaneous use of both inorganic and organic manures. The results indicated that the highest number of tubers, weight of tubers grade-wise (g hill⁻¹), weight of tubers grade-wise (kg plot⁻¹), tuber yield (t ha⁻¹), as well as net return and B:C ratio, was recorded under treatment receiving the recommended dose of nitrogen (150 kg/ha), wherein 67% RDN was supplied through inorganic fertilizers and 33% RDN through FYM + bio-fertilizer (PSB).
