Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Nutrient and Biological Status of Plum cv. Santa Rosa

Abstract

The present study entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on soil nutrient and biological status and yield of plum cv. Santa Rosa” was conducted at Horticulture Research Station, Kandaghat, Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh during 2011 and 2012. Among eight treatments, highest available potassium (326.02 kg ha^-1), Azotobacter  count (19.30×10⁶ CFU g^-1 soil) as well as mycorrhizal spore population (242.39 spores 50 g^-1 soil) were obtained with 50% NPK+Biofertilizers (60 g each tree basin^-1)+Green manuring (Sun hemp @ 25 g seeds tree basin^-1)+FYM (40 kg)+Vermicompost (11.5 kg). However, the application of 75% NPK+Biofertilizers (60 g each tree basin^-1)+Green manuring (Sunhemp @ 25 g seeds tree^-1 basin) recorded maximum available nitrogen (345.06 kg ha^-1), phosphorus (20.95 kg ha^-1), PSB count (16.18×10⁶ CFU g^-1 soil) in orchard soil as well as the maximum fruit yield (20.11 kg tree^-1) and gave the maximum net income (` 499.62) and benefit cost ratio (3.75). Thus, the combined application of nutrients in treatments T₅ and T₇ were found to be superior as compared to other treatments for enhancing the soil nutrient and biological status which in turn lead to increase in fruit yield and quality. The integrated nutrient management was highly effective than the application of chemical fertilizers alone.