Integrated nutrient management in ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) cv. Gola under Malwa Plateau conditions of Madhya Pradesh

A field experiment was carried out with different treatment combinations of organic manures (FYM @ 53, 39.75 and 26.5 kg, vermicompost @ 26.5, 19.86 and 13.25 kg), inorganic fertilizers (full dose of recommended fertilizer, 50% dose of recommended fertilizer and 25% dose of recommended fertilizer) and bio-fertilizers (Azotobacter and PSB) on five-year-old ber trees cv. Gola under Malwa plateau conditions. The results revealed that the application of 50% recommended dose of fertilizer through vermicompost + 50% RDF through NPK + 50 g Azotobacter + 50 g PSB (T₇) significantly increased the plant height (2.43 m), canopy volume (9.56), number of primary (16.93) and secondary branches (24.92) per shoot, fruit set (7.30%) and fruit retention (40.95%), fruit length (3.58 cm) and diameter (3.31 cm), fruit volume (22.25 ml), pulp weight (20.06 g), stone weight (1.91 g), average fruit weight (21.97 g), yield (34.14 kg/tree), TSS (20.85°Brix), ascorbic acid (74.04 mg/100 g pulp), reducing sugar (5.15%), non-reducing sugars (4.74%), total sugars (9.89%), TSS/acid ratio (160.38) and chlorophyll content in leaves spad value (71.00).