Integrated nutrient management improves soil fertility, leading to improve the productivity and quality of aonla (Emblica officinalis L.)

Aonla (Emblica officinalis L.) is one of the most nutritious fruits and an excellent source of vitamin C. Chemical fertilisers and insecticides used indiscriminately have negative effects on soil fertility, yield and quality of produce. Given this background, a study was conducted from 2019 to 2021 at the Regional Research Substation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya in Sekhampur, West Bengal, India, to examine the impacts of managing organic and inorganic nutrients for achievable production of aonla and preserving soil fertility in Red and Lateritic Regions of West Bengal, India. Treatments were: T1: RDF (recommended dose of fertiliser): 600-300-600 g NPK/plant (control); T2: 20 kg farmyard manure (FYM) + 400-200-500 g NPK/plant; T3: 10 kg vermicompost + 400-150-450 g NPK/plant; T4: 40 g Azotobacter + 550-300-600 g NPK/plant; T5: 50 g PSB (phosphate solubilising bacteria) + 600-250-600 g NPK/plant; T6: 40 g Azotobacter + 50 g PSB + 550-250-600 g NPK/plant; T7: 10 kg FYM + 40 g Azotobacter + 50 g PSB + 350-150-500 g NPK/plant; T8: 10 kg vermicompost + 40 g Azotobacter + 50 g PSB + 350-100-450 g NPK/ plant. All treatments were arranged in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) and repeated three times. The observations revealed that the greatest increases in plant growth parameters, maximum fruit physico-chemical characteristics, maximum yield/plant ratio and soil nutrient status were observed with the implementation of treatment T6. Finally, aonla (cv. ‘NA-7’) orchards in Sekhampur, West Bengal, benefit from treatment T6, which improves the soil nutrient status and increases fruit quality and yield.