Integrated nutrient management studies on flowering and fruit quality in chilli type Keshori local

An experiment entitled, “Integrated nutrient management studies in chilli type Keshori local,” was carried out at the Experimental Unit, Horticulture Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur during 2022-23. The primary objectives of this study were to assess the impact of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) on the flowering and quality of chilli and to identify the most effective INM treatment for enhancing these characteristics. The study aims to assess the effect of combining the impact of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers on the flowering and fruit quality of chilli. The experiment, comprising ten treatments, was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications, which included the Recommended Dose of Fertilizer (RDF), Vermicompost, FYM, and Neem cake. The results of the study revealed that the days to flower initiation and days required for 50% flowering were recorded earliest, i.e., with the minimum days after transplanting, in treatment (T3) - 50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost, which was at par with treatment (T9) - 50% RDF + 50% Neem cake. The quality parameters, viz., fruit length and fruit diameter, were recorded as maximum in treatment (T3) - 50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost, and were at par with treatment (T9) - 50% RDF + 50% Neem cake. The ascorbic acid content of the fruit was recorded as significantly highest in treatment (T10) - 75% RDF + 25% Neem cake, which was at par with treatments T3 and T9. Therefore, based on the results obtained, the application of 50% inorganic fertilizer + 50% organic manure as Vermicompost was found to be significantly effective in improving the growth, flowering behavior, and quality parameters of chilli.