Influence of arecanut based cropping systems and nutrient management practices on growth, flowering and yield of arecanut

Arecanut (Areca catechu L.) has a lot of unused area in monocropping, which makes medicinal and aromatic plants a good way to increase production. However, there isn't much research on integrated nutrition management in arecanut systems under agroclimatic conditions of Odisha. Hence, a field study was conducted during 2021–22 and 2022–23 in a five-year-old fruit-bearing arecanut plantation (cv. Mohitnagar). The experiment followed a split plot design with three cropping systems as main factor, such as C1: arecanut + Curcuma longa (turmeric) + C. caesia (black turmeric); C2: arecanut + Andrographis paniculata (kalmegh) + Ocimum sanctum (tulsi); C3: arecanut + Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) + Rauvolfia serpentina (sarpagandha). The sub-factor included three nutrient management treatments: N1: organic recycling + 100 % nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF); N2: organic recycling + 100 % NPK through soil test based dose (STD) and N3: organic recycling + 75 % NPK (STD) + biofertilizer consortia. Pooled results over the two-year study showed that organic recycling of biomass with application of 100 % NPK (STD) in the arecanut + ashwagandha + sarpagandha cropping system recorded maximum vegetative growth in terms of plant height, canopy spread and annual leaf production. Meanwhile, cropping system applied with 75 % NPK (STD), biofertilizer consortia and organic recycling of biomass, resulted in highest number of flowering bunch (3.62), fruit set (32.16 %), number of fruits (326.35), fruit weight (48.11 g) and fresh fruit yield (15.13 kg palm-1).