Influence of Different Levels of Azotobacter, PSB Alone and in Combination on Vegetative Growth, Flowering, Yield and Quality of Strawberry cv.Chandler

摘要

An experiment was done during 2008-09 and 2009-10 to study the influence of Azotobacter and PSB alone and in combination on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and quality of strawberry cv. Chandler. For this one year old runners of strawberry cv. Chandler were planted at the spacing of 30 x 30 cm on 8-10 cm raised beds of 60 x 60 cm accommodating four plants per bed. There were nine treatments comprising two levels each of Azotobacter, PSB (5 and 6 Kg/ha) and their combination along with one control, replicated thrice in Randomized Block Design. Five kg of FYM was applied as a basal dose in all treatments. The data of both the years of experiment were analysed and pooled data of both years clearly show that combined application of Azotobacter and PSB (each at 6 Kg/ha) significantly increased the height of plant (19.29 cm), number of leaves (64.31), crowns (7.17), runners (5.26), number of flowers(67.27) and fruits set (37.88) per plant. Maximum duration of harvesting (70.90 days) and minimum number of days taken to produce first flower(56.69 days) and fruit set (6.12 days) with significantly more yield (322.17 g/plant) were also observed in Azotobacter and PSB (each at 6 Kg/ha) fertilized plants. So far as the quality characters of berries are concerned, plants fertilized with Azotobacter and PSB (each at 6 Kg/ha) also produced berries with maximum length (4.63 cm), width (2.64 cm), weight (8.48 g),volume (6.14 cc), TSS (10.30~0 Brix), total sugars (9.54%), ascorbic acid (57.55 mg/l00g edible material) with minimum titratable acidity (0.548 %) contents in comparison to untreated plants under plains of Central Uttar Pradesh (India).