Effect of inorganic nutrients and bio-fertilizers in combination with bio-control agents and botanical extracts on growth and yield attributes of garlic (Allium sativum L.) under semi-arid tropical zone of Telangana

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) most widely cultivated bulbous crop in the world after onion. The main aim of the study to provide better growth and yield attributes as well as output per hectare. The present investigation entitled “Effect of inorganic nutrients and bio-fertilizers in combination with bio-control agents and botanical extracts on growth and yield attributes of garlic (Allium sativum L).” under semi-arid tropical zone of Telangana.” was carried out two consecutive years at Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad -SKLTGHU, during Rabi, 2022-23 and 2023-24 by applying methodology of contrast factorial randomized block design with ten treatments and three replications. In two years of study, it was found that, N2B1 (50%N + 100%P + 50%K + Azotobactor @ 5kg/ha + KSB@ 6Kg/ha + Trichoderma viride @ 10ml/l + Neem oil @ 0.5%) performed better in respect to growth parameters viz., plant height (47.63 cm, 58.93 cm and 65.59 cm at 60, 90 and 120 DAS), leaf length (36.83 cm, 49.88 cm and 53.27 cm at 60, 90 and 120 DAS), Number of leaves (7.17 and 10.57 at 60 and 120 DAS), leaf width (1.59 cm, 1.83 cm and 2.06 cm 60, 90 and 120 DAS) and neck thickness (9.18 mm, 12.25 mm and 12.82 mm at 60, 90 and 120 DAS), and regarding yield parameters like polar diameter of bulb (3.90 cm), equatorial diameter of bulb (4.16 cm), length and width of cloves (2.70 cm and 1.06 cm), number of cloves per bulb (18.73), bulb yield (3.91 Kg/plot), bulb yield (6.52 t/ha), total biomass (4.68 kg/plot), harvest index (82.97%). Based on the present investigation results, it may be concluded that N2B1 (50%N + 100%P + 50%K + Azotobactor @ 5kg/ha + KSB@ 6Kg/ha + Trichoderma viride @ 10ml/l + Neem oil @ 0.5%) proved better as compared to other treatment combinations.