Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and economics of guava (Psidium guajava L.)

A field experiment was conducted at farmers’ fields in Khargone during 2018–19 and 2019–20 with a view to assess the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield and economics of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Allahabad Safeda. Treatments comprised of T Farmers’ practice (RDF 600 g: 400 g: 300 g NPK/tree) and T₂ (50% RDF+ 50 kg FYM + Azospirillum 100 g/tree + PSB 100 g/tree) replicated at ten farmers’ field. T₂ recorded significantly higher plant height increment (0.74 m), canopy spread N-S (0.52 m), E-W (0.57 m), shoot diameter (4.24 mm), shoot length (22.65 cm), fruit length (7.43 cm), fruit diameter (7.64 cm), number of fruits/tree (426.84), fruit weight (222.32 g), yield/tree (94.73 kg) and yield/ha (260.65 q). The maximum net return of Rs 264347/- ha and benefit cost ratio of 3.63 were recorded with treatment T₂ whereas, the minimum net return of Rs 205325/ha and benefit cost ratio of 3.33 were recorded in T_r