Performance and stability of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. var. Arka Prasan) under integrated nutrient management in Telangana

The increasing demand for organically grown vegetables necessitates adopting sustainable nutrient management practices. This four-year study (2021–24) evaluated 7 Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) strategies on ridge gourd (Luffa acutangular (L) Roxb. cv. Arka Prasan). Key parameters assessed included Days to First Harvest (DFH), Fruit Yield per Hectare (FY/HA), Average Fruit Weight (AFW) and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR). Statistical analyses using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the Eberhart & Russell stability model and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed significant treatment differences. Application of enriched compost at 2.5 t/ha (T₆) consistently outperformed other treatments, recording the highest mean yield (21.83 metric tonne/ha) and BCR (1.958). This treatment also showed perfect stability, with a deviation from regression (S²di) of 0.000 for both yield and profitability, confirming reliability across environments. While T₆ was superior for yield and profitability, treatment T₂ (biofertilizer consortium + compost at 2.5 t/ha) was identified as the earliest to harvest. The findings suggest that enriched compost at 2.5 t/ha is the most effective, stable and economically viable option for ridge gourd cultivation and is strongly recommended for farmer adoption.