Synergistic effects of deficit irrigation and jeevamrutha on soil microbial health and marigold (Tagetes erecta) sustainability

ADITYA V  MACHNOOR; D S  GURJAR; P S  BRAHMANAND; V K  PRAJAPATI; MINAKSHI  GROVER; A K  TIWARI; S L  MEENA; SHIV  PRASAD

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i03.174425

Authors

ADITYA V MACHNOOR Water Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
D S GURJAR Water Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
P S BRAHMANAND Water Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
V K PRAJAPATI Water Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
MINAKSHI GROVER ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
A K TIWARI ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
S L MEENA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SHIV PRASAD ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i03.174425

Keywords:

Deficit irrigation, Jeevamrutha, Marigold, Rhizosphere microbiology

Abstract

Sustainable floriculture production under water-limited conditions necessitates integration of resource efficient irrigation strategies with biologically active nutrient management systems. The present study was carried out during winter (rabi) season from 2023–2025 at Water Technology Centre, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the interactive effects of regulated deficit irrigation and jeevamrutha based nutrition on rhizosphere microbial dynamics, agronomic performance, and economic viability of marigold (Tagetes erecta L. cv Pusa Narangi Gainda). The experimental design comprised of three irrigation regimes (I1, 1.0 ETc; I2, 0.8 ETc; I3, 0.6 ETc) and four nutrient treatments (N1, 100% recommended dose fertiliser; N2, 100% nitrogen from jeevamrutha plus phosphorus-potassium from chemical fertiliser; N3, 75% jeevamrutha nitrogen plus phosphorus-potassium; N4, 50% jeevamrutha nitrogen plus phosphorus-potassium). Moderate deficit irrigation (I3) significantly enhanced rhizosphere microbial populations, achieving bacterial counts of 6.67 × 10⁷ cfu/g, fungi 8.165 × 10⁵ cfu/g, and actinomycetes 2.915 × 10⁶ cfu/g, surpassing full irrigation and mild deficit treatments. Jeevamrutha-based nutrition (N2) complemented these effects, increasing microbial abundance by 27–29% over conventional fertilisation. Enhanced microbial activity translated into superior plant performance, with I3 treatment producing tallest plants (67.72 cm), extended flower longevity (22.17 days), and maximum yield (14.76 t/ha). The N2 module achieved optimal canopy development (47.74 cm) and yield (14.98 t/ha). The I3N2 combination consistently demonstrated superior performance, yielding 16,909 kg/ha with gross returns of ₹3.38 lakh/ha, net profits exceeding ₹2.15 lakh/ha, and benefit-cost ratio of 2.755. Results established that regulated deficit irrigation integrated with jeevamrutha-based nutrition enhances soil biological functioning, optimises resource partitioning toward reproductive development, and maximises economic returns, providing a scalable framework for water-efficient, biologically intensive ornamental production systems.

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