BIOFARMING IN BITTER GOURD (MOMORDICA CHARANTIA L.)

The experiment was carried out to study the effect of different organic manures and biofertilizers on the growth, yield and economics of bitter gourd one of the most commercially promising vegetables in Kerala.
The eight different organic manures and two levels of Azospirillum in all possible combinations and were applied and compared with two controls namely recommendation by Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) (25 t FYM/ha + 70:25:25 kg NPK/ha) as control-1 and sole application of chemical fertilizer without organic manure as control-2. Among the various organic nutrient sources, poultry manure was found best in increasing the number of harvests, number of fruits/plant, total fruit yield, net returns.
The fruit yield produced by poultry manure was 46.5% higher as compared to control 1. But keeping quality was best when vermicompost was applied as the organic source.
Azospirillum significantly improved the quality of bitter gourd fruits like vitamin C and protein content.
A basal dose of 25 t/ha of FYM and application of poultry manure to supply the recommended dose of 70 kg N/ha (on N equivalent basis) in combination with Azospirillum at 1 kg/ha was the best economic organic nutrient schedule in bitter gourd.

I International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition

M. Meerabai, B.K. Jayachandran, K.R. Asha

Azospirillum, organic manures, poultry manure, vitamin C, crude protein content, keeping quality of fruit, vermicompost

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.752.60