Effect of Vermicompost, Farmyard Manure and Chemical Fertilizers on Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Soil Fertility in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) - Onion (Allium cepa) Sequence in Wet Temperate Zone of Himachal Pradesh

Effect of applying organic manures (vermicompost and farmyard manure) and inorganic fertilizers on yield and nutrient uptake by okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) - onion (Allium cepa) and nutrient build up in the soil was studied under field conditions. Highest yield of okra was recorded in the treatment comprising 100% recommended NPK + vermicompost @ 10 t ha⁻¹, 11.10 and 11.63 t ha⁻¹ during 2003 and 2004, respectively. Similarly, maximum yield of onion was observed in plots receiving 100% recommended NPK plus 25 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ during both the years i.e. 9.83 and 14.67 t ha⁻¹ during 2003–04 and 2004–05, respectively. After completion of the experiment, the highest available NPK content (303, 28.1, 345 kg ha⁻¹, respectively) were recorded in case of the treatment consisting of 10 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ to okra and 25 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ to onion along with 100% NPK to these crops. Similar effect was observed on mineral composition and nutrient uptake. Furthermore, yield of okra obtained at 5 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ plus 100% NPK (9.73 and 10.83 t ha⁻¹ during 2003 and 2004) was at par with that under 10 t farmyard manure plus 100% NPK (10.03 and 10.46 t ha⁻¹ during 2003 and 2004). Similarly, yield of onion obtained at 12.5 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ plus 100% NPK (8.38 and 12.56 t ha⁻¹ during 2003–04 and 2004–05) was at par with that under 25 t farmyard manure ha⁻¹ plus 100% NPK (8.86 and 12.08 t ha⁻¹ during 2003–04 and 2004–05). This demonstrated the superiority of vermicompost over farmyard manure in okra-onion sequence.