Plant Growth, Fruit Yield and Quality of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) as Affected by Bioorganic Nutrient Sources

Abstract

India in today’s scenario is implementing an agroecologically based, diversified agricultural system that includes functional biodiversity along with crops, trees and livestock. Therefore, advocating natural farming, an agroecologically based diverse farming system that includes crops, trees and animals as well as functional biodiversity. It is primarily focused on the recycling of biomass inside the farm, with a focus on the use of formulations made on the farm from cow dung and urine (Jeevamrit & Ghanjeevamrit) and the elimination of all synthetic chemical inputs. It aims to lessen smallholder farmers' reliance on inputs that must be purchased as well as their credit load. With all of these facts in mind, this study investigated how the application of bioorganic nutrient sources like Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit used in natural farming system affected the crop performance in strawberry grown under mid hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh, India. Farmyard manure, freshly prepared Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit was used for manuring in twelve different treatment combinations replicated thrice planned on the basis of recommended dose of nitrogen. The nitrogen content in bioorganic nutrient sources like Jeevamrit (1.71%) and Ghanjeevamrit (1.68%) was analyzed before application. Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit treatments significantly increased plant growth, flowering, fruit yield and fruit quality. The findings indicated that application of treatment combination T4 (100% RDN through Jeevamrit + Ghanjeevamrit in the ratio of 1:1) resulted in better effects on strawberry plant growth, fruit quality and yield (17.50 tonnes/ha) as compared to the recommended practices.

Keywords:
Bioorganic nutrient sources; crop performance; Ghanjeevamrit; Jeevamrit; strawberry

HIGHLIGHTS

• The study is primarily focused on the recycling of biomass inside the farm by using formulations made on the farm from cow dung and urine.

• Lowering reliance on purchased inputs and relieving the burden of debt on smallholder farmers.

• Crop performance of strawberries in comparison to the currently used recommended growing techniques.

• Investigation on the viability of supplementing the crop with bioorganic nutrient sources.

• Bioorganic nutrient sources considerably improved strawberry plant growth, flowering, fruit yield and quality.