Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Green Pod Yield of Chilli

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of combined application of organic manures with recommended inorganic fertilizers (RIF) and to find out the best combination of applications on green pod yield of chilli cv. MIPC-01. The following five treatment combinations viz. T1- No fertilizer (control plot), T2- 100% IF, T3- 50% IF + cattle manure (15 t ha-1 ), T4- 50% RIF + cattle manure (15 t ha-1 ) + partially burnt paddy husk (250 kg ha-1 ), T5- 50% RIF + cattle manure (15 t ha-1 ) + partially burnt paddy husk (500 kg ha-1 ) were laid out in a Randomised Completely Block Design and replicated four times. The measurements related to growth and yield parameters such as plant height, number of flowers, pods per plant and average pod length were taken using Destructive random sampling method. The results revealed that the maximum average plant height of 22.85 cm, 53.58 cm and 67.73 cm were observed in T5- 50% RIF with 15 t ha-1 cattle manure and 500 kg ha-1 partially burnt paddy husk added plots at 30, 90 and 120 days after transplanting (DAT), respectively. Among the tested fertilizer combinations there were significant differences (p<0.05) observed in plant height, root length, number of flowers, average pod weight compared to the control treatment. In the vegetative stage, the highest average plant height of 22.85 cm was observed in T5- 50% RIF + cattle manure (15 t ha-1 ) + partially burnt paddy husk (500 kg ha1 ) and the lowest average plant height of 12.58 cm was observed in control plot. The average root length of 15.8 cm was observed in T4 (50% RIF + cattle manure (15 t ha-1 ) + partially burnt paddy husk (250 kg ha-1 ) at 120 DAT. The application of 50% RIF, 15 t ha-1 cattle manure along with (500 kg ha-1 ) partially burnt paddy husk produced higher number of flowers (7.50 and 12.75) at 85 days and 120 DAT, respectively. Similarly, higher average number of pods per plant (10.5 and 24.5) and average pod length (4.50 cm and 4.73 cm) were also recorded in T5, which had 50% RIF, 15 t ha-1 cattle manure along with 500 kg ha-1 partially burnt paddy husk over the control treatment. It is concluded that application of 50% RIF with 15 t ha-1 cattle manure and 500 kg ha-1 partially burnt paddy husk is the best combination to obtain higher green pod yield of chilli.