Influence of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Nutrient Status and Economics of Guava Cultivation

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted during June to February for two consecutive years i.e., 2024–25 and 2025–26, in the Department of Fruit Science, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, to evaluate the influence of integrated nutrient management (INM) on soil nutrient status and economics of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. L-49. Ten treatments comprising vermicompost, dry leaf or paddy straw mulch, Panchagavya, Jivamrit, Amritpani, Azotobacter, and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. Treatment T₉-Vermicompost (1.0 kg tree^-1)+dry leaf mulch+Panchagavya (5%)+PSB (50 g tree^-1)+Azotobacter (50 g tree^-1) recorded the highest available phosphorus (41.54 kg ha^-1), bacterial population (7.61×10⁶ CFU g^-1), and fungal population (5.72×10⁴ CFU g^-1 soil). fruit yield (13.83 and 15.22 t ha^-1), gross returns (` 276,642 and ` 417,124 ha^-1) and net returns (` 164,104 and ` 304,586 ha^-1) during the first and second years, respectively. Treatment T₈ recorded the highest available potassium (215.27 kg ha^-1), T₃ recorded the highest soil pH (7.33) and organic matter (1.11%), whereas T₂ recorded the highest available nitrogen (207.00 kg ha^-1). The highest benefit: cost ratio was obtained with T₁₀-Vermicompost (1.0 kg tree^-1)+paddy straw mulch+Jivamrit (20%)+PSB (50 g tree^-1)+Azotobacter (50 g tree^-1) (1.57 and 2.73). Correlation and principal component analyses confirmed the positive influence of integrated nutrient management on soil nutrient dynamics. Overall, integrated nutrient management proved effective in improving soil fertility, productivity and profitability of guava cultivation in the plains of north India.