Impact of Vermicompost, Poultry Manure and Jeevaamrit on Growth Parameters of Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) cv. Allison

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted on 6 years old kiwifruit vines cultivar ‘Allison’ at a spacing of 4.0 m × 6.0 m for two consecutive years 2018-19 and 2019-20 at experimental block of Department of Fruit Science, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP). The experiment was laid out in triplicate in Randomized Block Design with 8 treatments under three farming systems viz., Inorganic Fertilizer Based System (IFBS), Organic Farming Based System (OFBS) and Subhash Palekar’s Natural Farming System (SPNFS). The maximum leaf area (158.1 cm2), leaf area index (4.36), chlorophyll index (51.2), comparative photosynthetically active radiation (612 µ mol quanta m-2 s-1) was found in the treatment (T8) receiving 30 liters of jeevaamrit (JM) + 3 kg ghana jeevaamrit and 40 kg FYM per vine under SPNFS. Among OFBS, the treatment T2 (100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through vermicompost and poultry manure on 50:50 basis) observed maximum leaf area (151.8 cm2), leaf area index (4.35), comparative photosynthetically active radiation (642 µ mol quanta m-2 s-1) but lower significantly lower chlorophyll index (51.2) over T1 (Recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + FYM) treatment of IFBS. Hence application of 30 litres jeevaamrit and 3 kg ghana jeevaamrit (both in 3 equal splits first in end of January, second in February and third in the month of April) along with 40 kg FYM per vine or alternatively substitution of 100% RDN through vermicompost and poultry manure on 50:50 basis along with 40 kg FYM were found to be best and alternate different option in place of inorganic fertilizers to ‘Allison’ cultivar of kiwifruit under mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh, India. Furthermore, the research emphases mainly on improving soil health without compromising growth and yield of kiwifruits in the region. By using alternative sources of nutrients, farmers can obtain the comparable growth and yield of kiwifruits.

Effect of Organic Manures on Growth, Yield, Leaf Nutrient Uptake and Soil Properties of Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa Chev.) cv. Allison

“…Inorganic sources of nutrients increased the production of kiwifruit and pineapple, according to Guarconi and Ventura [ 29 ]. These findings corroborate those of Garg et al [ 17 ] and Yadav et al [ 24 ]. Organic manure applications had a substantial impact on the soluble solid contents in terms of quality (SSC).…”

“…Moreover, organic residues can cause plants to generate oxalic acid, which results in the mobilization of immobile phosphorus and aids in the increase in phosphorus absorption by plants. Organics increased micronutrient uptake in various fruit crops, including guava, pomegranate, and kiwifruit [ 17 ]. The contents of the leaf were also significantly influenced by different organic treatments.…”

“…Soil biological activity was enhanced by the addition of OM, which aids in the solubilization of nutrients, their availability to plants, and their absorption. According to Garg et al [ 17 ], organic manures, alone or in conjunction with inorganic fertilizers, enhanced the availability and absorption of Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn in sweet oranges. The present investigation revealed that organic manure enhances the physical parameters better than the chemical properties of the soil.…”

“…Unfortunately, only a few attempts have been made to determine the impact of organic manures and their combinations on the development, production, quality, and nutritional status of kiwifruit cv. ‘Allison’ [ 17 ]. The demand for products in organic agriculture, with special reference to fruit products, has shown an increasing trend in recent years.…”

“…The increasing cost of fertilizers and global concern of groundwater pollution through leaching from the soils are discounting the use of fertilizers [ 16 ]. To overcome these problems, there is widespread interest in developing sustainable agricultural systems which exclude external inputs, especially fertilizers and herbicides, minimizing the impacts on the environment and soils [ 17 ]. The use of synthetic pesticides slows down the defense mechanisms against pathogens with the consequence of favoring primary metabolism.…”