A Study on Effect of Nutrient Management on the Growth, Yield and Quality of Turmeric cv. Megha Turmeric-1
Jyoti Diwakar *
Department of Horticulture, Raja Balwant Singh College Bichpuri, Agra 283105, India.
Gyanendra Kumar Singh
Department of Horticulture, Raja Balwant Singh College Bichpuri, Agra 283105, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Integrated nutrient management may improve turmeric productivity by combining readily available mineral nutrients with organic and biological nutrient sources. The present study evaluated the effects of different combinations of farmyard manure (FYM), compost, Azospirillum, and NPK fertiliser on the growth, yield, and quality of turmeric. The experiment was arranged in a randomised complete block design with nine treatments and three replications. Growth parameters were recorded during crop development, while rhizome yield components and quality parameters were assessed after harvest. The pooled results showed that T9, comprising FYM + Azospirillum + 100% NPK, recorded the highest plant height (101.82 cm), number of leaves per plant (13.11), number of tillers per clump (4.30), leaf length (47.58 cm), and leaf width (14.82 cm). The same treatment produced the highest pooled mother-rhizome weight (53.62 g), primary-rhizome weight (145.52 g), secondary-rhizome weight (233.17 g), and fresh rhizome yield (106.22 q ha⁻¹). T9 also recorded the highest curcumin content (6.64%) and oleoresin content (12.46%). In comparison, the treatment receiving 100% NPK alone generally recorded lower values for the measured growth, yield, and quality attributes. The findings indicate that combining FYM and Azospirillum with the full NPK treatment was associated with improved vegetative growth, rhizome production, and quality attributes under the conditions of the experiment.
Keywords: Curcuma longa, integrated nutrient management, farmyard manure, Azospirillum, NPK fertilisation, vegetative growth, rhizome yield, curcumin, oleoresin, soil fertility