Nutrient management in jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) under rainfed condition

Abstract

An investigation was taken up on eight years old seedling trees of jackfruit, planted at 10 x 10 m spacing at the Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri (Nadia, West Bengal) of the Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya with a view to know the effect of different organic manures and inorganic nutrients (N, P and K) on production, fruit quality, soil heath and foliar NPK status. Results from the three consecutive years of investigation, it was revealed that highest dose of NPK (N 500 P300 K300 g/tree/year) resulted in highest yield (76.3 kg / tree) but gave lower BCR (benefit cost ratio) of 1.13 while its lowest dose (N200P100 K100 g/tree/year) gave higher BCR of 2.00. Among the organic manures, vermicompost at 4.00 kg/tree/year produced second higher yield (56.3 kg/tree) with best quality fruits and this treatment resulted in highest BCR of 2.17. Soil NPK status and pH improved under different treatments as compared to respective initial values. Foliar NPK values were differed among the treatments although it could not be correlated to the fruit yield.

Keywords

• Economics, fruit yield and quality, inorganic nutrients, organic manures