B.K.
Singh, K.A. Pathak, A.K. Verma, V.K. Verma and B.C. Deka
Vegetable
Crops Research Bulletin 74: 153-165, 2011
E-mail: bksinghkushinagar@yahoo.co.in
Abstract
Integration
of vermicompost and organic mulch as elements of vegetable production system
sustain soil fertility and crop productivity. A field experiment was conducted
with the objective to investigate the effects of vermicompost, NPK fertilizer
and organic mulch on crop growth, nodulation and pod yield of French bean (Phaseolus
vulgaris L) with an ultimate aim of optimizing water and nutrient requirement
in mild-tropical climate during dry season. The shoot growth traits, namely
shoot length, number of primary branches, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry
weight were increased by 28-63 % through application of N P2O5
K2O 8:13:10 kg/ha + vermicompost 3.75 t/ha and by 5-50 % in organic
mulching treatments. Application of vermicompost reduced nodule fresh weight
and nodule dry weight by 44.9 and 44.5 %, respectively. Likewise, corresponding
nodule number, nodule fresh weight and nodule dry weight were reduced by 8.6,
11.1 and 14.1 % with organic mulching. Poor nodulations might be due to reduced
oxygenation of the soils under vermicompost and organic mulch which is
ultimately impeding the nitrogenase activity and biological nitrogen fixation.
Mulching of French bean with dried grasses and crop residues are also led to
higher single pod weight, pod length, pod weight/ plant and pod yield by 10.9,
12.8, 20.1 and 20.2 %, respectively. Present study shows that application of N P2O5
K2O fertilizer 8-15:13-25:10-20 kg/ha, vermicompost 2.50-3.75 t/ha,
4 cm thick mulch of dried crop residues and 50 % irrigation is the most
suitable and sustainable strategy to improve plant growth, pod formation and
pod yield of French bean, and soil health of mild-tropical climate during dry
season.
Key words: French bean (Phaseolus
vulgaris), mulching, vermicompost, nodulation,
pod yield, split plot design (SPD).
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