Integrated nutrient management in brinjal

The field experiment was conducted during 2011 at the Experimental Farm of School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Medziphema Campus, Nagaland University, Nagaland to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and quality of brinjal cv. Azad B-3 under foothills condition of Nagaland. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of T1- Control, T2-FYM @ 20 t ha−1, T3- Pig manure @ 15 t ha−1, T4- Vermicompost @ 10 t ha−1, T5- 100% NPK, T6 - 75% NPK + Biofertilizers, T7 - 50% NPK + 50% FYM, T8 - 50% NPK + 50% Pig manure, T9- 50% NPK + 50% Vermicompost, T10- 50% NPK + 50% FYM + Biofertilizers, T11- 50% NPK + 50% Pig manure + Biofertilizers, T12- 50% NPK + 50% Vermicompost + Biofertilizers. Results revealed that application of different levels of fertilizers, organic manures and biofertilizers either alone or in combination significantly increased the growth, yield and quality of brinjal as compared to control. The maximum plant height (90.97cm), number of leaves plant−1 (62.61), number of branches plant−1 (20.70), number of fruit plant−1 (25.23), fruit weight (55.51g), fruit length (21.41cm), fruit diameter (5.40cm), fruit yield (38.88 t ha−1), TSS (6.14o Brix) and vitamin C (12.81mg 100−1g) were recorded with the conjoint application of 50% NPK + 50% FYM + Biofertilizers. There is a significant build up of organic carbon in the soil after harvest of the crop with 50% NPK + 50% FYM + biofertilizers. The same treatment also produced the highest net return of Rs. 1,27,978 along with cost benefit ratio 1:1.92. These results suggested that the optimum quality production of brinjal can be obtained with integrated application of 50% NPK + 50% FYM + Biofertilizers. These results also saved about 50% of chemical fertilizers without any compromise on yield and quality parameters of brinjal.