Comparative studies of organic manure and chemical fertilizers in carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the 2022–23 and 2023–24 at Horticultural Research Farm, Ch. Chhotu Ram (P.G.) College, Muzaffarnagar, C.C.S university Meerut (U.P.), to study the comparative effect of organic and chemical fertilizers on growth and yield parameters of carrot (Daucus carota L.) cv. Nantes. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 12 treatments and 3 replications, including combinations of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM), and vermicompost. Results revealed that the application of 80% RDF + Vermicompost @ 3 t/ha (T6) significantly outperformed other treatments in terms of plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, fresh plant weight, root length and yield. T6 recorded the maximum plant height (44.19 cm and 45.64 cm), number of leaves (15.30 and 15.76), root length (20.87 cm and 22.21 cm) and highest yield (146.46 and 150.23 q/ha) in 2022–23 and 2023–24, respectively. The enhanced performance under T6 is attributed to the synergistic effects of chemical and organic nutrient sources, improved nutrient availability and enhanced soil health and microbial activity. These findings underscore the potential of integrated nutrients management, particularly the combination of reduced chemical inputs with vermicompost, in improving carrot productivity sustainably.