Abstract
Integrated nutrient management (INM) is considered as the most viable method of raising crop production through sustained mitigation of multiple constraints in nature. Different treatments involving sole application of inorganic nitrogen (0, 25, 50, and 75 kg N ha-1), biofertilizer inoculants (control, inoculation with Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Phosphotika), and their combination were evaluated for the performance of ginger on a sandy loam acid Alfisol. Combined application of chemical fertilizer N2 (50 kg N ha-1) and Azospirillium B2 (20 g 10 kg-1 seed bit) produced much higher rhizome and cured ginger yield (22.8 and 4.3 tons ha-1) than with either N2 (20.3 and 4.0 tons ha-1) or B2(20.4 and 3.8 tons ha-1). Nutrient uptake (kg ha-1) followed the similar pattern, being higher with N2B2 (37.39 N - 4.33 P – 69.31 K) than N2 (31.26 N - 3.80 P - 54.49 K) or B2(31.21 N – 3.67 P – 54.43 K) alone. Similarly, volatile oil which was 0.48% with B2 and 0.49% with N2 improved to 0.58% with N2B2. The oleoresin content of 4.38% with N2B2 was much higher than either N2 (4.26%) or B2 (4.27%) alone. These observations suggested that the optimum quality production of ginger can be obtained with N2B2 treatment.
