Table 1.
Monthly mean values of temperature, humidity, sunshine hours, and total rainfall during the experimental period.
| Months | Average temperature (°C) | Average humidity (%) | Sunshine (hrs. · day−1) | Rainfall (mm) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |||
| Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |||||||
| April | 21.8 | 33.0 | 23.4 | 36.0 | 82.5 | 71.7 | 6.70 | 7.67 | 35.6 | 36.0 |
| May | 24.0 | 33.2 | 25.0 | 34.8 | 83.2 | 79.2 | 4.96 | 6.31 | 115 | 108 |
| June | 26.6 | 33.3 | 26.2 | 32.2 | 85.2 | 87.1 | 4.49 | 4.06 | 205 | 390 |
| July | 26.6 | 32.6 | 27.0 | 32.0 | 87.5 | 87.2 | 3.56 | 3.35 | 310 | 400 |
| August | 26.9 | 33.4 | 26.4 | 34.4 | 87.1 | 88.8 | 4.61 | 3.40 | 175 | 478 |
Table 2.
Physicochemical properties of preliminary soils in the experimental field.
| Physical parameters | Unit | Test value |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | % | 41.26 |
| Silt | % | 23.22 |
| Clay | % | 35.52 |
| Textural class | – | Clay loam |
| Particle density | g · cm−3 | 2.56 |
| Bulk density | g · cm−3 | 1.41 |
| Porosity | % | 44.92 |
| Moisture | % | 18.5 |
| Field capacity | % | 25.6 |
| Chemical parameters | ||
| pH | – | 6.50 |
| EC | dS · m−1 | 0.61 |
| OM | % | 1.33 |
| Ca | (meq. · 100 g−1 soil) | 4.5 |
| Mg | (meq. · 100 g−1 soil) | 1.7 |
| K | (meq. · 100 g−1 soil) | 0.14 |
| Total N | % | 0.076 |
| Available P | (μg · g−1) | 11.9 |
| Available S | (μg · g−1) | 14.5 |
| Available Zn | (μg · g−1) | 0.88 |
| Available B | (μg · g−1) | 0.16 |
Table 3.
Elemental form of nutrients attained from the applied inorganic and organic sources.
| Treatment | N | P | K | S | Zn | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kg · ha−1 | ||||||
| T1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T2 | 120 | 40 | 85 | 20 | 3 | 2 |
| T3 | 120 | 82 | 92 | 35 | 2.35 | 1.70 |
| T4 | 91.5 | 45 | 65 | 18.5 | 1.97 | 1.30 |
| T5 | 150 | 92 | 113.2 | 40 | 3.10 | 2.20 |
| T6 | 121.5 | 55 | 86.2 | 23.5 | 2.72 | 1.80 |
| T7 | 145 | 52.5 | 87.7 | 29.5 | 3.15 | 2.35 |
| T8 | 175 | 104.5 | 116 | 49.5 | 3.25 | 2.55 |
| T9 | 145 | 94.5 | 94.7 | 44.5 | 2.50 | 2.05 |
Table 4.
Nutrient composition of the VC, PM, and CD used in the experiment.
| Components | Organic sources | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| VC | PM | CD | |
| pH | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.5 |
| Organic carbon (g · kg−1) | 166 | 109 | 73 |
| Total N (g · kg−1) | 12 | 12.6 | 11 |
| K (g · kg−1) | 9.9 | 9.0 | 4.8 |
| P (g · kg−1) | 12.4 | 10.0 | 4.5 |
| S (g · kg−1) | 5.0 | 3.4 | 2.9 |
| Zn (g · kg−1) | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.18 |
| B (g · kg−1) | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.17 |
Table 5.
Effect of year of cultivation and combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers on growth and yield attributes of bitter gourd.
| Year of cultivation (Y) | Vine length (cm) | No. of fruits · plant−1 | Fruit length (cm) | Fruit diameter (cm) | Individual fruit wt. (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 336 ± 9.34 b | 34.6 ± 1.25 b | 12.2 ± 0.26 b | 4.80 ± 0.07 b | 85.1 ± 2.30 b |
| 2021 | 346 ± 9.18 a | 39.7 ± 1.21 a | 13.7 ± 0.25 a | 5.99 ± 0.06 a | 88.0 ± 2.30 a |
| F-test | * | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| CV (%) | 5.00 | 7.24 | 5.05 | 2.56 | 3.18 |
| LSD (0.05) | 9.32 | 1.49 | 0.36 | 0.08 | 1.52 |
| Treatment (T) | |||||
| T1 | 239 ± 5.58 e | 22.7 ± 1.34 f | 10.5 ± 0.37 e | 4.82 ± 0.27 e | 59.3 ± 0.91 f |
| T2 | 347 ± 7.84 cd | 37.1 ± 2.06 de | 12.6 ± 0.42 cd | 5.23 ± 0.26 c | 81.8 ± 1.08 e |
| T3 | 320 ± 5.90 e | 35.2 ± 1.79 e | 12.2 ± 0.55 d | 5.02 ± 0.28 d | 83.7 ± 1.11 e |
| T4 | 332 ± 6.59 de | 35.6 ± 1.37 e | 12.7 ± 0.34 cd | 5.30 ± 0.27 c | 87.3 ± 0.69 d |
| T5 | 371 ± 7.99 b | 41.0 ± 1.33 b | 13.8 ± 0.44 b | 5.62 ± 0.29 b | 95.8 ± 2.19 b |
| T6 | 359 ± 3.97 bc | 40.4 ± 1.13 bc | 13.3 ± 0.38 bc | 5.60 ± 0.27 b | 92.4 ± 0.71 c |
| T7 | 355 ± 7.64 bc | 39.3 ± 1.14 bc | 13.6 ± 3.34 b | 5.64 ± 0.27 b | 95.8 ± 0.99 b |
| T8 | 417 ± 4.92 a | 45.1 ± 1.75 a | 15.2 ± 0.37 a | 5.83 ± 0.28 a | 101 ± 1.37 a |
| T9 | 325 ± 6.84 e | 37.4 ± 1.33 c–e | 12.8 ± 0.42 cd | 5.50 ± 0.27 b | 81.3 ± 0.93 e |
| F-test | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| CV (%) | 5.00 | 7.24 | 5.05 | 2.56 | 3.18 |
| LSD (0.05) | 19.7 | 3.15 | 0.77 | 0.16 | 3.22 |
| Interaction (Y × T) | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns |
1 The mean values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD at the 5% level via the LSD test. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 Here, T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB.
Figure 1.
(A) Fresh fruit yield in t · ha−1 and (B) fruit dry matter in kg · ha−1 and dry plant yield in kg · ha−1 of bitter gourd affected by the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilisers. The error bars represent the ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). The mean values indicated by the uncommon letters in the bars are significantly different at the 5% level according to the LSD test. T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB. CD, cow dung; LSD, least significant difference; PM, poultry manure; VC, vermicompost.
Table 6.
Seasonal water uses and WPI during the 2020 and 2021 crop seasons.
| Year of cultivation | Irrigation frequency (no.) | Amount of irrigation water (mm) | Water for plant establishment (mm) | Effective rainfall (mm) | Total seasonal water use (mm) | Fresh fruit yield (t · ha−1) | WPI (kg · m−3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 12 | 180 | 10 | 121.36 | 311.36 | 12.9 | 4.14 |
| 2021 | 10 | 140 | 10 | 119.20 | 269.20 | 13.2 | 4.90 |
Table 7.
Effects of year of cultivation (Y), combined organic and inorganic fertilisers (T) and their interaction (Y × T) on the quality traits of bitter gourd.
| Treatment | TSS (°Brix) | Vitamin C (mg · 100 g’1) | ß-Carotene (mcg · 100 g 11 | Moisture (%) | Fruit firmness (kgf) | Reducing sugar (%) | Total sugar (%) | Protein content (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | 3.76 ± 0.022 d | 70.9 ± 0.73 b | 112 ± 1.47 c | 90.1 ±0.37 d | 2.02 ±0.061 b | 2.32 ± 0.065 d | 15.5 ± 0.25 b | 14.5 ± 0.32 c |
| T2 | 3.99 ±0.002 a | 75.2 ± 1.8 1 a | 115 ± 1.03 be | 92.3 ±0.38 a-c | 2.16 ± 0.057 ab | 2.49 ± 0.015 c | 15.8 ± 0.17 b | 17.6 ± 0.44 ab |
| T3 | 3.82 ±0.001 b-d | 76.3 ± 1.3 9 a | 116 ±3.32 be | 91.6 ±0.55 b-d | 2.15 ± 0.064 ab | 2.54 ±0.016 be | 16.6 ±0.09 a | 16.5 ± 0.70 ab |
| T4 | 3.50 ± 0.003 e | 74.8 ± 0.4 7 a | 114 ± 1.54 c | 92.3 ±0.73 a-c | 2.16 ± 0.024 ab | 2.52 ± 0.052 c | 15.5 ± 0.16 b | 16.4 ± 1.00 ab |
| T5 | 3.90 ± 0.002 b | 76.7 ±0.53 a | 121 ± 1.94 ab | 92.7 ± 0.38 ab | 2.22 ± 0.075 a | 2.59 ±0.056 be | 16.5 ±0.17 a | 18.0 ±0.63 a |
| T6 | 3.86 ±0.003 be | 75.8 ± 0.79 a | 117 ± 2.25 a-c | 91.3 ±0.46 b-d | 2.23 ±0.047 a | 2.57 ±0.060 be | 15.7 ± 0.14 b | 17.5 ±0.51 ab |
| T7 | 3.79 ± 0.003 cd | 76.1 ± 0.40 a | 116 ±0.611 be | 92.1 ±0.73 a-c | 2.24 ±0.049 a | 2.67 ± 0.022 ab | 16.5 ±0.37 a | 17.6 ± 0.37 ab |
| T8 | 4.00 ±0.090 a | 77.6 ± 0.99 a | 122 ±3.88 a | 93.4 ± 0.42 a | 2.26 ±0.057 a | 2.73 ±0.081 a | 16.5 ±0.20 a | 18.1 ±0.72 a |
| T9 | 3.77 ±0.003 cd | 75.9 ± 0.74 a | 114 ± 1.47 c | 91.1 ±0.37 cd | 2.20 ±0.035 a | 2.76 ±0.057 a | 16.6 ±0.26 a | 16.0 ±0.26 be |
| F-test | ** | * | * | ** | * | ** | ** | ** |
| C V (%) | 2.16 | 3.57 | 4.23 | 1.47 | 5.92 | 4.67 | 3.17 | 9.05 |
| LSD (0.05) | 0.01 | 3.16 | 5.77 | 1.58 | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.60 | 1.79 |
| Interaction (Y×T) | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns |
1 The mean values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD at the 5% level via the LSD test. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 Here, T1 control, T2 recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB.
Figure 2.
(A) Total uptake of N, P, K, and S by bitter gourd and (B) total uptake of Zn and B by bitter gourd as affected by the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilisers. The error bars represent the ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). The mean values indicated by the uncommon letters in the bars are significantly different at the 5% level according to the LSD test. T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB. CD, cow dung; LSD, least significant difference; PM, poultry manure; VC, vermicompost.
Table 8.
Effects of combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers on the AE of N-P-K-S-Zn-B in bitter gourd (pooled data from 2 years).
| Treatments | N | P | K | S | Zn | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AE (kg · kg−1) | ||||||
| T2 | 5.40 ± 0.55 bc | 16.2 ± 1.64 a | 7.63 ± 0.77 bc | 32.4 ± 3.30 a | 216 ± 21.7 c | 324 ± 32.9 cd |
| T3 | 5.14 ± 0.22 bc | 7.52 ± 0.32 cd | 6.70 ± 0.28 cd | 17.6 ± 0.76 cd | 262 ± 11.0 bc | 363 ± 15.4 bc |
| T4 | 6.98 ± 0.53 a | 14.2 ± 1.09 ab | 9.83 ± 0.75 a | 34.5 ± 2.66 a | 324 ± 24.8 a | 492 ± 37.8 a |
| T5 | 5.44 ± 0.49 bc | 8.87 ± 0.79 c | 7.21 ± 0.64 b–d | 20.4 ± 1.82 c | 263 ± 23.3 bc | 371 ± 33.2 bc |
| T6 | 6.09 ± 0.18 ab | 13.5 ± 0.40 b | 8.58 ± 0.25 ab | 31.5 ± 0.92 a | 272 ± 8.08 ab | 411 ± 12.1 b |
| T7 | 5.27 ± 0.23 bc | 14.6 ± 0.63 ab | 8.71 ± 0.38 ab | 25.9 ± 1.12 b | 243 ± 10.6 bc | 325 ± 14.1 cd |
| T8 | 4.89 ± 0.19 cd | 8.20 ± 0.32 cd | 7.38 ± 0.29 b–d | 17.3 ± 0.66 cd | 264 ± 10.4 bc | 336 ± 13.3 b–d |
| T9 | 3.83 ± 0.35 d | 5.88 ± 0.53 d | 5.87 ± 0.53 d | 12.5 ± 1.13 d | 222 ± 19.9 bc | 271 ± 24.2 d |
| F-test | ** | ** | ** | ** | * | ** |
| CV (%) | 12.1 | 12.7 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 11.8 | 12.1 |
| LSD (0.05) | 1.14 | 2.47 | 1.59 | 5.37 | 53.4 | 76.7 |
1 Values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD test at p ≤ 0.05. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB
Table 9.
Effects of combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers on the PE of N-P-K-S-Zn-B in bitter gourd (pooled data from 2 years).
| Treatment | N | P | K | S | Zn | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | ||||||
| kg · kg−1 | mg · kg−1 | |||||
| T2 | 8.57 ± 1.41 a | 63.0 ± 4.45 a–c | 15.2 ± 0.93 a–c | 79.6 ± 3.04 bc | 5.81 ± 0.10 ab | 7.38 ± 0.24 b–d |
| T3 | 8.64 ± 0.37 a | 67.2 ± 2.29 ab | 16.5 ± 1.92 a | 94.0 ± 2.25 a | 6.29 ± 0.41 a | 8.25 ± 0.22 a |
| T4 | 8.84 ± 0.25 a | 63.8 ± 0.63 a–c | 15.6 ± 0.23 ab | 77.4 ± 3.80 bc | 5.84 ± 0.11 ab | 8.13 ± 0.30 ab |
| T5 | 8.24 ± 0.39 a | 61.7 ± 4.26 bc | 13.6 ± 0.31 bc | 71.3 ± 1.16 cd | 5.59 ± 0.15 bc | 7.38 ± 0.29 b–d |
| T6 | 8.28 ± 0.73 a | 60.9 ± 1.37 c | 13.7 ± 0.22 bc | 71.5 ± 1.43 cd | 5.69 ± 0.06 b | 7.47 ± 0.17 a–c |
| T7 | 8.15 ± 0.10 a | 60.6 ± 1.56 cd | 13.7 ± 0.27 bc | 73.5 ± 1.67 b–d | 5.85 ± 0.08 ab | 7.09 ± 0.15 cd |
| T8 | 7.55 ± 0.95 a | 54.8 ± 1.21 d | 12.5 ± 0.29 c | 64.1 ± 2.38 d | 5.04 ± 0.11 c | 6.66 ± 0.24 d |
| T9 | 9.24 ± 1.72 a | 68.1 ± 0.64 a | 14.0 ± 1.05 a–c | 82.8 ± 9.77 b | 5.99 ± 0.15 ab | 7.80 ± 0.51 a–c |
| F-test | ns | ** | * | ** | * | * |
| CV (%) | 13.7 | 5.40 | 10.6 | 7.96 | 5.50 | 6.09 |
| LSD (0.05) | 2.03 | 5.91 | 2.69 | 10.7 | 0.56 | 0.80 |
1 The values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD test at p ≤ 0.05. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB
Table 10.
Effects of combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers on the RE of N-P-K-S-Zn-B by bitter gourd (pooled data from 2 years).
| Treatment | N | P | K | S | Zn | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE (%) | ||||||
| T2 | 107 ± 3.21 bc | 44.2 ± 2.45 a | 83.2 ± 1.15 c | 63.8 ± 1.48 b | 6.35 ± 0.17 e | 7.50 ± 0.18 cd |
| T3 | 102 ± 3.87 bc | 19.9 ± 1.07 cd | 72.1 ± 0.15 d | 32.1 ± 1.50 e | 7.56 ± 0.15 bc | 8.08 ± 0.22 c |
| T4 | 135 ± 9.38 a | 38.3 ± 0.84 b | 107 ± 1.59 a | 69.7 ± 0.001 a | 9.58 ± 0.10 a | 10.8 ± 0.04 a |
| T5 | 101 ± 8.39 bc | 22.1 ± 1.25 c | 78.0 ± 7.11 cd | 40.3 ± 2.99 d | 7.26 ± 0.47 b–d | 7.86 ± 0.43 cd |
| T6 | 117 ± 8.12 ab | 35.0 ± 1.58 b | 95.2 ± 5.37 b | 64.0 ± 3.20 b | 7.70 ± 0.37 b | 9.00 ± 0.43 b |
| T7 | 99.6 ± 2.88 bc | 37.6 ± 0.41 b | 95.6 ± 1.93 b | 51.1 ± 0.80 c | 6.66 ± 0.06 de | 7.25 ± 0.02 d |
| T8 | 95.3 ± 5.36 cd | 21.8 ± 0.38 c | 83.1 ± 1.14 c | 36.5 ± 0.52 de | 7.68 ± 0.17 b | 7.50 ± 0.11 cd |
| T9 | 78.0 ± 3.46 d | 16.2 ± 0.03 d | 72.3 ± 4.02 d | 25.7 ± 1.10 f | 6.87 ± 0.05 c–e | 6.52 ± 0.04 e |
| F-test | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| CV (%) | 9.94 | 7.74 | 7.02 | 6.11 | 5.69 | 4.81 |
| LSD (0.05) | 18.1 | 3.98 | 10.5 | 5.13 | 0.74 | 0.68 |
1 Values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD test at p ≤ 0.05. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB
Table 11.
Populations of PSB, rhizobia, fungi, total bacteria, and actinomycetes in the soil of bitter gourd at the flowering stage as influenced by combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers (pooled data from 2 years).
| Treatments | Population (× 105 cfu · g−1 soil) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSB | Rhizobia | Fungus | Total bacteria | Actinomycetes | |
| T1 | 1.00 ± 0.06 b | 1.50 ± 0.12 c | 1.00 ± 0.06 b | 120 ± 5.77 e | 1.10 ± 0.06 c |
| T2 | 2.00 ± 0.12 b | 4.00 ± 0.58 c | 1.20 ± 0.12 b | 1300 ± 57.7 c | 2.00 ± 0.17 c |
| T3 | 2.00 ± 0.09 b | 2.50 ± 0.12 c | 2.00 ± 0.09 b | 1400 ± 57.7 c | 2.20 ± 0.12 c |
| T4 | 1.00 ± 0.05 b | 3.00 ± 0.20 c | 100 ± 5.77 a | 400 ± 28.9 d | 2.50 ± 0.12 c |
| T5 | 4.00 ± 0.58 b | 100 ± 5.77 b | 1.40 ± 0.12 b | 1600 ± 57.7 b | 100 ± 5.77 b |
| T6 | 2.00 ± 0.15 b | 2.00 ± 0.09 c | 2.00 ± 0.12 b | 510 ± 5.77 d | 2.00 ± 0.12 c |
| T7 | 3.00 ± 0.29 b | 2.00 ± 0.04 c | 1.50 ± 0.17 b | 1400 ± 57.7 c | 1.20 ± 0.06 c |
| T8 | 100 ± 8.66 a | 110 ± 5.77 a | 100 ± 5.77 a | 1900 ± 57.7 a | 130 ± 5.77 a |
| T9 | 1.00 ± 0.05 b | 7.00 ± 0.17 c | 2.00 ± 0.06 b | 500 ± 28.8 d | 2.40 ± 0.06 c |
| F-test | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| CV (%) | 38.4 | 17.3 | 21.3 | 7.78 | 16.3 |
| LSD (0.05) | 8.57 | 7.73 | 8.66 | 137 | 7.63 |
1 The mean values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD at the 5% level via the LSD test. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 Here, T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB.
Table 12.
Effects of year of cultivation (Y), combined use of organic and inorganic fertilisers (T) and their interaction (Y × T) on postharvest soil chemical properties associated with the initial soil.
| Year of cultivation (Y) | PH | OM (%) | Total N(%) | K | P | S | Zn | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| meq · 100 g−1 | mg · g−1 | |||||||
| Initial status | 6.50 | 1.33 | 0.076 | 0.14 | 11.9 | 14.5 | 0.88 | 0.16 |
| 2020 | 6.51 ±0.039 a | 1.37 ±0.013 a | 0.086 ±0.001 a | 0.134 ±0.003 a | 12.3 ±0.22 a | 15.4 ±0.25 a | 0.927 ±0.011 a | 0.180 ±0.005 a |
| 2021 | 6.53 ±0.039 a | 1.39 ±0.014 a | 0.088 ±0.001 a | 0.139 ±0.004 a | 12.4 ±0.22 a | 15.5 ±0.26 a | 0.930 ±0.011 a | 0.182 ±0.005 a |
| F-test | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns |
| CV (%) | 3.01 | 4.28 | 6.56 | 11.4 | 9.61 | 7.96 | 3.23 | 7.08 |
| LSD (0.05) | 0.11 | 0.03 | 0.003 | 0.009 | 0.66 | 0.68 | 0.02 | 0.007 |
| Treatment (T) | ||||||||
| T1 | 6.61 ±0.180 a | 1.33 ±0.050 a | 0.075 ± 0.005 b | 0.112 ± 0.004 c | 11.3 ±0.37 a | 14.2 ±0.80 a | 0.790 ± 0.007 b | 0.148 ± 0.004 f |
| T2 | 6.32 ± 0.075 a | 1.36 ±0.015 a | 0.087 ±0.002 a | 0.132 ± 0.004 b | 12.3 ±0.37 a | 15.2 ±0.09 a | 0.952 ± 0.004 a | 0.162 ± 0.007 ef |
| T3 | 6.52 ±0.040 a | 1.36 ±0.020 a | 0.088 ±0.002 a | 0.142 ± 0.007 ab | 12.6 ±0.36 a | 15.4 ±0.37 a | 0.942 ± 0.004 a | 0.152 ± 0.004 f |
| T4 | 6.41 ±0.037 a | 1.38 ±0.031 a | 0.087 ±0.001 a | 0.143 ± 0.008 ab | 12.0 ±0.34 a | 14.9 ±0.66 a | 0.932 ± 0.020 a | 0.172 ±0.004 de |
| T5 | 6.51 ±0.040 a | 1.40 ±0.030 a | 0.089 ±0.002 a | 0.153 ±0.005 a | 12.7 ±0.37 a | 15.7 ±0.26 a | 0.962 ± 0.020 a | 0.191 ±0.004 be |
| T6 | 6.60 ±0.037 a | 1.39 ±0.024 a | 0.088 ±0.002 a | 0.142 ± 0.004 ab | 12.7 ±0.26 a | 15.8 ±0.37 a | 0.952 ±0.003 a | 0.201 ± 0.007 ab |
| T7 | 6.51 ±0.070 a | 1.40 ±0.030 a | 0.090 ±0.002 a | 0.133 ± 0.008 b | 12.6 ±0.58 a | 15.6 ±0.91 a | 0.942 ± 0.004 a | 0.211 ±0.004 a |
| T8 | 6.61 ±0.073 a | 1.41 ±0.035 a | 0.091 ±0.001 a | 0.145 ± 0.006 ab | 12.7 ±0.84 a | 16.1 ±0.37 a | 0.952 ± 0.020 a | 0.211 ±0.006 a |
| T9 | 6.61 ±0.009 a | 1.40 ±0.011 a | 0.090 ±0.006 a | 0.132 ± 0.004 b | 12.1 ±0.37 a | 15.8 ±0.29 a | 0.932 ± 0.007 a | 0.182 ±0.004 cd |
| F-test | ns | ns | ** | ** | ns | ns | ** | ** |
| CV (%) | 3.01 | 4.28 | 6.56 | 11.4 | 9.61 | 7.96 | 3.23 | 7.08 |
| LSD (0.05) | 0.23 | 0.07 | 0.007 | 0.02 | 1.39 | 1.44 | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Y×T | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ||
1 The mean values in a column with a common letter (s) do not differ significantly according to the LSD test at p ≤ 0.05. The values are the means ± standard errors (n = 3).
1 Here, T1: controt, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB. ANOVA, analysis of variance; CD, cow dung; CV, coefficient of variation; LSD, least significant difference; OM, organic matter; PM, poultry manure; VC, vermicompost.
Figure 3.
Influence of combined use of organic and inorganic fertiliser practices on the (A) cost, gross return, gross margin, and (B) BCR of bitter gourd. The error bars represent the ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). The mean values indicated by the uncommon letters in the bars are significantly different at the 5% level according to the LSD test. T1: control, T2: recommended dose of inorganic N-P-K-S-Zn-B at 120-40-85-20-3-2 kg · ha−1, T3: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 50% of NPKSZnB, T4: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 50% of NPKSZnB, T5: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 75% of NPKSZnB, T6: 2.5 t · ha−1 PM + 75% of NPKSZnB, T7: 5 t · ha−1 CD + 75% of NPKSZnB, T8: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 50% of NPKSZnB, and T9: 5 t · ha−1 VC + 5 t · ha−1 CD + 25% of NPKSZnB. BCR, benefit–cost ratio; CD, cow dung; LSD, least significant difference; PM, poultry manure; VC, vermicompost.