Vol. 13, Issue 5 (2024)

Author(s):
Maduri Ashwini, A Girwani, G Satish and B Chandrasheker

Abstract:
The present investigation entitled “Effect of gypsum and integrated nutrient management practices on soil fertility and flower yield of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) in saline soils” was conducted at Post graduate research farm of college of Horticulture, Mojerla during the rabi season of 2019 in factorial randomized block design with sixteen treatments replicated three times. The treatments consisted of two soil conditions i.e native saline soil and native saline soil topped with tank silt and seven integrated nutrient management treatments i.e with combination of gypsum, FYM, poultry refuse, vermicompost and RDF with ¼ RDF as control. In this study application of tank silt on native saline soil along with gypsum @ 2.5t/ha + poultry refuse @ 5t/ha+1/4 RDF (P₂S₆) in tuberose var. Prajwal recorded significantly maximum plant height, plant spread at 30,60 and 90 DAS which were superior over the control. Further maximum flower yield and flower yield attributing characters viz., individual floret weight, number of flowers per spike and number of spikes per plot increased significantly in same treatment combination P₂S₆ i.e Native saline soil topped with tank silt + gypsum (2.5t/ha) + poultry refuse (5t/ha) + ¼ RDF) followed by P₂S₅ (Native saline soil topped with tank silt + Gypsum (2.5t/ha) + Fym (5t/ha) + ¼ RDF).The tuberose flower quality parameters such as flower diameter and flower length were also found to be significantly superior in this treatment. Similar trend was recorded in tuberose bulb yield and bulb number per plant. Further the vase life of flower spikes was maximum (14.35 days) with the application of the INM treatment combination P₂S₆ i.e native saline soil topped with tank silt + gypsum (2.5t/ha) + poultry refuse (5t/ha) + ¼ RDF followed by P₂S₅ (Native saline soil topped with tank silt + Gypsum (2.5t/ha) +FYM+ ¼ RDF) (13.42 days). The soil nutrient status has increased with the application of tank silt + gypsum (2.5t/ha) + poultry refuse (5t/ha) + ¼ RDF and recorded maximum availability of Nitrogen (351.400 kg ha ^-1), Phosphorous (47.267kg ha ^-1), Potassium (364.000 kg ha -1) and Organic carbon (0.597%) after the harvest of the crop, further the pH of soil also reduced in this treatment. Thus, it can be concluded that under saline soil condition, application of tank silt along with gypsum, poultry refuse and ¼ recommended dose of fertilizers improves the soil health with decrease in soil pH in sodic soils which ultimately resulted in improvement in growth, quality and flower yield in tuberose var ‘Prajwal’.