Influence of Organic Manures and their Combinations with FYM on Fruit Yield and Economics of Papaya Cultivation

A field experiment was conducted during 2006-07 to 2007-08 at Olericulture Unit, Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad to study the influence of organic manures and their combinations with FYM on yield and yield attributes in papaya cv. Surya. The results revealed that treatments comprising FYM, agrigold, vermicompost, sheep manure either alone or in combination with FYM improved the yield components or gave higher fruit yield. Application of FYM equivalent to 100% RDN (154.3 t/ha) excelled the fruit length (15.3cm), number of fruits per plant (84 Nos), per plant (56.36 kg/plant) and per ha (173.9 t/ha) fruit yield significantly with lesser cavity volume (105 ml) and cavity index (16.54%). Fruit breadth (12.5cm), circumference (39.5cm) and fruit weight (642g) were significantly higher in the combination of FYM (77.15 t/ha) and agrigold (16.66 t/ha) each equivalent to 50% RDN with a fruit yield of 172.9 t/ha indicating the advantage of applying FYM either alone or in combination with agrigold in enhancing the papaya fruit yield. Higher gross (Rs. 5,21,700/ha) and net returns (Rs. 4,12,190/ha) were recorded with the application of FYM equivalent to 100% RDN and benefit: cost ratio (5.85) was maximum with pressmud eqUivalent to 100% RDN.