Integrated nutrient management in apple-based horti- olericulture system enhances yield of apple and intercrops and improves soil health in Kumaon region of Himalaya, Uttarakhand

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to assess the impact of integrated plant nutrient management on apple and intercrop productivity, soil physicochemical properties, and their interrelationships in an apple-based horti-olericulture system from 2012 to 2017. Two types of intercrops viz. cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis) (Experiment I) and garden pea (Pisum sativum) (Experiment II) were used for the experiment with a combination of different sources of nutrients like chemical fertilizers, farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, and biofertilizer (Azotobacter and Rhizobium). Intercropping with integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM) showed a significant (P <0.01) improvement in apple and yield of both intercrops compared to no intercropping. Results showed that an integration of recommended dose of chemical fertilizers, FYM, vermicompost, and biofertilizer appeared to be superior in maximizing apple (81.7 and 91.3 q ha⁻¹ in Experiment I and II, respectively), cauliflower (163.1 q ha⁻¹) and garden pea (51.4 q ha⁻¹) yield, crop equivalent yield, land equivalent ratio, and improving soil organic C (SOC) and availability of N, P, and K. Results also showed that apple yield was significantly and positively correlated to cauliflower (r= 0.967; P <0.01) and garden pea yield (r= 0.936; P <0.05); however, the measured soil properties were poor predictors of intercrop and apple yield. Therefore, an integrated use of chemical fertilizers, organic manures, and biofertilizers is recommended for yield maximization in apple-based horti-olericulture system that sustains long-term soil fertility in erosion-prone fragile lands of Kumaon region of Himalaya, Uttarakhand.