RAGHVENDRA BAJPAI, SHAILESH KUMAR SINGH*, DASHRATH BHATI, DINESH BABOO TYAGI AND NIKITA NEHAL
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, ITM (Institute of Technology and Management) University,
Gwalior-474 001 (M. P.), India
*(e-mail: drshaileshhrt@gmail.com; Mobile : 98559 49955)
(Received: May 12, 2022; Accepted: June 10, 2022)
ABSTRACT
Cauliflower is a highly nutritious and delicious vegetable, rich in vitamin A, C and minerals like calcium,
iron and iodine. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 13 treatments consisting
of different combinations of inorganic fertilizer and bio-fertilizer. On the basis of present investigation, T12 [N : P : K (200 : 100 : 100 kg/ha)+PSB (4.5 g/plot)] followed by T11 [N : P : K (200 : 100 : 100 kg/ha)+ Azotobacter (4.5 g/plot)] with row to row distance 40 cm and plant to plant distance 45 cm were the best combinations for cauliflower cultivation. Application of bio-fertilizers of nutrients and higher dose of NPK in T12 [N : P : K (200 : 100 : 100 kg/ha)+PSB (4.5 g/plot)] ensured greater plant height (42.52 cm), number of leaves/plant (30.74), plant spread (65.79 cm), weight of untrimmed curd (2.85 kg), weight of trimmed curd (998.86 g), curd yield/plot (15.98 kg), curd yield/ha (394.61 q) and diameter of curd (23.82 cm) of cauliflower. The maximum value of benefit : cost ratio (3.22) was also obtained in this treatment. This confirmed the application of PSB or Azotobacter as supplementary dose with RDF for highly remunerative cauliflower cultivation.
Key words : Azotobacter, bio-fertilizers, cauliflower, phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), plant growth, yield