Impact of vermicompost, farm yard manure, and microbial consortium of Cucumis sativus L. in organic horticulture

A field experiment was conducted in 2023 at the experimental farm of the Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat, to assess the impact of vermicompost, FYM, and biofertilizers on growth, yield, and economics in cucumber. The study was conducted in a randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications: T0 (control), T1 (FYM 10 t/ha), T2 (FYM 5 t/ha), T3 (FYM 5 t/ha + microbial consortium), T4 (vermicompost 5 t/ha), T5 (vermicompost 2.5 t/ha), and T6 (vermicompost 2.5 t/ha + microbial consortia). Among the treatments, the treatment T6 showed the highest plant height at first flowering (3.44 m). The minimum number of days (54.33) for the first female flower to appear and the lowest node (6.45) at which the first female flower appeared were observed in the treatment T6. The highest number of fruits (10.92) per plant, the maximum fruit weight (267.67 g), and the highest yield per plant (2.92 kg) were exhibited by the treatment T4. The highest net return (Rs. 594067.00) was obtained in the treatment T4 with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.31. However, the highest benefit-cost ratio was exhibited by the treatment T1 (2.83) with a net return of Rs. 566033.00 due to the lower cost of FYM in T1.