Comparative Study of Organic Manures on Post-Harvest Quality of Cauliflower

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) an important crop species of the Brassicaceae family is among the highly grown vegetable crop in Nepal. In Nepal cauliflower is grown mostly by using a combination of organic and inorganic manures where the ratio of inorganic manures dominates the organic one. Inorganic manures are also important as these provide nutrients to the soil which in turn provide them to crops at a faster rate but for a short period whereas organic manures supply nutrients for a longer time and at a constant rate of supply. Post-harvest refers to the stage at which the commodity is further processed after harvest. Even though cauliflower is among the highly perishable natural crops its consumption is not seen within an hour of harvest as it passes through different phases of supply in a complicated market structure. To keep cauliflower fresh for a longer time during marketing organic manures can be considered the best option. Different organic manures have variations in their post-harvest characterization when observing different research, it has been found that vermicompost is considered to be the best fertilizer for organic cauliflower production as Total Suspended Solids (TSS) ratio, Vitamin C ratio, shelf life, and preferences among the consumers are highest among the consumers when cauliflower is grown in this nutrition media. Other organic media such as farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure, leaf litter compost, mustard, and neem cakes as well as different biofertilizers such as Azolla, Azotobacter, and Phosphate solubilizers can also be used as a better option to enhance post-harvest characteristics than using chemical fertilizers. Key words: Cowdung, farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure, shelf life, vitamin C, vermicompost, yield.