Enhancement in the physico chemical characters of Sapota fruits through integrated application of vermicompost and chemical fertilizers

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the physico chemical characteristics of Sapota cultivar Cricket Ball. The treatments comprised of different doses of NPK and vermicompost applied either alone or in combination. The data revealed that application of NPK @400:200:200 + vermicompost @20 kg per tree resulted in obtaining highest fruit yield. Besides, this dose also gave highest values for all the physico chemical characters of fruits viz., fruit length, width, weight, volume, T.S.S., ascorbic acid, total sugars, phenolic contents and flavonoids. Increasing the nitrogen level from 400g/tree to 600 g/tree significantly reduced the yield. The yield obtained by application of only inorganic fertilizers (NPK @400:200:200) was found to be at par with the treatment where vermicompost alone was supplied@20 kg/tree.