Vol. 11, Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Priyanka Sahu, P Tripathy, GS Sahu, SK Dash, SK Pattnayak, S Sarkar, RK Nayak, NJ Nayak and S Mishra

Abstract:
Field experiments were conducted at AICRP on Vegetable Crops, operating under Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India during summer season of 2017 and 2018. The objective of the investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of nutrient management practices on marketable fruit yield, quality and economics in cucumber. Twelve nutrient management treatments consisting of inorganic chemical fertilizer, organic manures FYM (F) and/or vermicompost (VC) and soil inoculation of biofertilizer consortia (BFs) including absolute control were evaluated by adopting RBD repeated thrice. The pooled results over two years revealed significant variations among the nutrient management practices on marketable fruit yield and quality in cucumber. Significantly highest marketable fruit yield was recorded by adoption of integrated application of ½ RDF + F₁₀ + VC₂ + BFs (15.6 tha^-1) clearly followed by RDF + F₁₀ + BFs (13.9tha^-1) whereas minimum in absolute control (4.6 tha^-1). Regarding, fruit quality, integrated application of ½ RDF + F₁₀ + VC₂ + BFs produced cucumber fruits with highest ascorbic acid (39 mg100g^-1) and sugar content (3.7 %). However, integrated application of ½ RDF + VC₂ + BFs recorded highest TSS (5.5 0Brix) and statistically at par with T₄, T₇, T₈, T₁₁ and T₁₂. The economics of nutrient management revealed maximum B:C ratio of 1.66 with T₁₂ closely followed by T₁₁. It may be concluded that integrated application of nutrients i.e., ½ RDF + F₁₀ + VC₂ + BFs may be recommended for significantly highest marketable fruit yield with quality produce and highest B:C ratio in cucumber.