Response of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) as influenced by organic fertilizers and microbial consortium

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in randomized block design during the periods 2013-2015 to study the performance of cauliflower cv. Pusa Snowball K-1 as influenced by organic inputs and microbial consortium at Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, AAI, Jorhat. The trial included three different organic manures each with two levels along the microbial consortium and one treatment with recommended dose of fertilizer. The treatment which received recommended dose of NPK along with FYM (T1) produced highest curd yield (280.81 qha-1) followed by the treatment which received 5 tha-1. Enriched compost along with microbial consortium (T8) recorded 209.04 qha-1. Among the organic treatments, the same treatment showed the highest values like curd size (103.46 cm2), leaf number (18.73) and ash content of curd (6.79%). Quality parameters like ascorbic acid (60.13 mg100g-1) was highest in treatment receiving 5 t ha-1 Enriched compost and consortium (T8) and leaf ash content (7.28%) in treatment that received 5 t ha-1 compost with microbial consortium(T4). Soil parameters studies revealed that soil pH, soil organic matter content, N, P, K and MBC were found better treatment treated with Enriched compost 5t ha-1 and consortium (T8).