Integrated nutrient management in Isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.)

An experiment was carried out in the Department of Horticulture, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (U.P.), India on “Integrated nutrient management in Isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.)”, during two subsequent years i.e. 2009–10 and 2010–11. For this seeds were sown in the beds of 1.0 x 1.0 m dimension and after germination plant spacing was maintained by 20 X 10 cm. There were seven treatments comprising RDF (50 kg N + 25 kg P + 25 kg K), vermicompost 2 t/ha alone, vermicompost 2 t/ha + 75% RDF, vermicompost 2 t/ha + 50% RDF, Azotobacter 6 kg/ha + 75% RDF, Azotobacter 6 kg/ha + 50% RDF along with one control, replicated thrice in randomized block design. Ten t/ha of FYM was applied as a basal dose in all the treatments including control. Full dose of FYM (farm yard manure), Azotobacter, vermicompost, phosphorus (P), potash (K) and 50 per cent of nitrogen (N) as per the treatment dose were applied in each plot at 8–10 cm depth in the lines just before sowing of seeds and remaining 50 per cent of the nitrogen was applied as top dressing 35 days after sowing. Data of both the years of experiment were analyzed statistically and it is clearly revealed that application of vermicompost 2 t/ha + 75% RDF significantly increase the plant height (30.50 and 28.40 cm, respectively), number of leaves per plant (9.55 and 9.00, respectively), number of tillers per plant (28.70 and 27.30, respectively), number of spikes per plant (25.75 and 25.00, respectively), length of spike (4.25 and 4.10 cm, respectively), number of seed per spike (82.55 and 81.00, respectively) with minimum number of days taken to maturity (106.50 and 105 days, respectively). Same treatment i.e. application of vermicompost 2 t/ha + 75% RDF also produced higher unhusked seed yield (10.20 and 10.16 q/ha, respectively) as well as husk yield (2.92 and 2.90 q/ha, respectively) during both the years of investigation in the plains of Central Uttar Pradesh.