Studies on the Management of Soil Fertility and Sustainable Productivity in Bhendi [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

A field experiment on COBh Hybrid Bhendi 4 was conducted in the Department of Horticulture, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal, U.T. of Puducherry, during summer 2022 with the objective of comparing the effects of organics and bioenhancers on soil fertility restoration and sustained vegetable production. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with two replications involving two factors (fertilisers and bioenhancers) forming eighteen treatment combination in a factorial way (FRBD). The study material comprised of vermicompost and goat manure (organics) as well as panchagavya and jivamirtham (bioenhancers), besides recommended FYM and N, P, K fertilisers in various combinations. Maximum plant height (118.62 cm), number of primary branches (5.02) at final harvest, maximum fruit length (15.49 cm) and fruit girth (6.89 cm), fruit weight (21.71 g), number of fruits plant-1 (51.70), highest yield (891.60 g plant-1 and 16.47 t ha-1) and maximum dry matter production (5.74 t ha-1) were recorded in the treatment receiving RDF with 3 per cent panchagavya as foliar spray on 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS.