The experiment was conducted with eight treatments (absolute control and varying proportions of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients viz., 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through fertilizers (90:45:0), 100% RDN through farm yard manure, 100% RDN through poultry manure, 100% RDN through vermicompost, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through farm yard manure, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through poultry manure and 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost). Results revealed that RDN through fertilizers and combinations of different organic and inorganic sources produced significantly higher grain yield over absolute control. RDN (100%) applied through fertilizers exhibited highest vegetative growth and yield attributes with maximum yield (2325 kg ha-1), net returns (Rs. 62,091 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (3.01), closely followed by 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost.
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G Lal, R Singh, A S Godara, U S Gupta,

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200IntroductionFennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is an importantseed spice crop mainly grown in rabi season andbelongs to family Apiaceae, vernacularly calledSaunf. This crop occupies major acreage inGujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.Presently, fennel is cultivated in 61,680 ha, with105320 t production and productivity of 1707kg ha-1 in India (DGCI & S, Calcutta, 2010–11).Fennel being a long duration crop extracts lotof the nutrients from the soil. Inadequate andimbalanced application of nutrients are themajor factors for low yield and poor quality.Exclusive application of inorganic fertilizerscreates deleterious effect on soil fertility due tolimitation of one or more nutrients includingmicro nutrients and poor soil health leadingto decline in productivity. No single source ofnutrient is capable of supplying plant nutrientsin adequate amount and balanced proportion.The conjunctive (integrated) application oforganics with inorganic sources of nutrientsreduces the dependence on chemical inputs andalso provides micro nutrients as well asInfluence of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on growth, yield andeconomics of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) cultivation under semi arid conditionsA S Godara*, U S Gupta, G Lal1 & R Singh1Adaptive Trial Centre, Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Rajasthan,Tabiji-305 206, Ajmer, Rajasthan.*E-mail: godara_as@yahoo.comReceived 17 July 2013; Revised 17 September 2013; Accepted 20 March 20141National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Tabiji-305 206, Ajmer, Rajasthan.AbstractThe experiment was conducted with eight treatments (absolute control and varying proportionsof organic and inorganic sources of nutrients viz., 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN)through fertilizers (90:45:0), 100% RDN through farm yard manure, 100% RDN through poultrymanure, 100% RDN through vermicompost, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN throughfarm yard manure, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through poultry manure and 50%RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost). Results revealed that RDN throughfertilizers and combinations of different organic and inorganic sources produced significantlyhigher grain yield over absolute control. RDN (100%) applied through fertilizers exhibited highestvegetative growth and yield attributes with maximum yield (2325 kg ha-1), net returns (Rs.62,091 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (3.01), closely followed by 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50%RDN through vermicompost.Keywords: economics, fennel, growth, inorganic, organic, yieldJournal of Spices and Aromatic CropsVol. 23 (2) : 200–204 (2014)         Indian Society for Spiceswww.indianspicesociety.in/josac/index.php/josac201modifies the soil physical behavior andincreases the efficiency of applied nutrients(Pandey et al. 2007). Judicious combination ofmanures and chemical fertilizers not onlymaximizes the crop production and improvesthe quality of agricultural produce but alsohelps in maintaining the soil fertility (Pariharet al. 2010). The overall strategy for increasingcrop yields and sustaining them at a high levelmust include an integrated approach to themanagement of soil nutrient, along with othercomplimentary measures. Keeping these factsin view, the present study was undertaken toevaluate the effect of organic and inorganicsources of nutrients on growth, yield andeconomics of fennel cultivation.Materials and methodsA field investigation was carried out to studythe influence of organic and inorganic sourcesof fertilizers on growth, yield and economicsof fennel during rabi season of 2010–11 atResearch Farm of Adaptive Trial Centre, Tabiji,Ajmer (Rajasthan), India. The soil of theexperimental field was sandy loam which waslow in organic C (0.28%), low in available N(142 kg ha-1), high in available P (21 kg ha-1)and medium in available K2O (178 kg ha-1) withpH of 8.2 and EC of 0.32 dSm-1.The investigation comprising of eighttreatments (T1- Absolute control- No nutrition,T2- 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN)through fertilizers (90:45:0 kg NPK ha-1), T3-100% RDN through farm yard manure, T4-100% RDN through poultry manure, T5- 100%RDN through vermicompost, T6- 50% RDNthrough fertilizers + 50% RDN through farmyard manure, T7- 50% RDN through fertilizers+ 50% RDN through poultry manure and T8-50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDNthrough vermicompost was laid in randomizedblock design with three replications. Full doseof N and P and organic manures as pertreatments were applied manually throughDAP, urea, FYM, poultry manure andvermicompost at the time of sowing. The fennelvariety RF-101 was sown manually on 20thOctober, 2010 at 45 cm row to row and 30 cmplant to plant spacing using 10 kg seed ha-1.Standard agronomic and plant protectionpractices were adopted for raising healthy crop.Data on growth and yield attributes were takenfrom 10 tagged plants. Biological and economicyields were taken from net plot. Economics ofthe study was determined by calculatingparameters like cost of cultivation, grossreturns, net returns and benefit cost ratio usingthe prevailing price of inputs and output in thelocal market. Statistical analysis was performedas per methods suggested by Panse & Sukhatme(1985).Results and discussionEffect on growth and yield attributesThe higher values of growth and yieldattributes viz., plant height, number of primaryand secondary branches, umbels plant -1,umbellates umbel-1, seeds umbel-1 and testweight of fennel seeds were recorded with theapplication of recommended dose of N (RDN)through fertilizers i.e., 90 kg N and 45 kg P2O5ha-1 (Table 1). Application of RDN throughfertilizers increased plant height, number ofprimary and secondary branches, umbels plant-1,umbellates umbel-1, seeds umbel-1, 1000-seedweight and yield plant-1 to the magnitude of38.81%, 59.90%, 80.72%, 72.30%, 30.94%,52.28%, 37.42% and 57.69%, respectivelycompared to absolute control. However,performance of this treatment (T2) was at parwith T8 (50% RDN through fertilizers and 50%through vermicompost), T7 (50% RDNthrough fertilizers and 50% through poultrymanure) and T6 (50% RDN through fertilizersand 50% through FYM). Application ofrecommended dose of N and P throughinorganic fertilizers enhanced the availabilityof nutrients, which resulted in increasedphotosynthetic activity and translocation ofphotosynthates from source to sink and thismight be the cause of higher growth and yieldattributes. Adequate supply of N and P plays avital role in various metabolic processes whichresulted in increased flowering and fruitingthereby improving umbels plant-1. Seed yieldof a crop is a function of yield attributes suchas umbels plant-1, umbellates umbel-1, numberof seeds umbellate-1, test weight and seed yieldOrganic and inorganic nutrition on fennel202 Godara et al.plant-1. Increase in yield attributes due toincreasing levels of N and P had direct andpositive effect on seed, straw and biologicalyields of fennel. Patel et al. (2003) also recordedhigher yield attributes when RDN was appliedthrough inorganic fertilizers in fennel, whileSherin & Ahuja (2009) recorded maximum yieldand yield attributes of cluster bean withvermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 + 75% NPK.Effect on yield and harvest indexResults (Tables 1 & 2) revealed that applicationof RDN through inorganic sources had directpositive effect on seed yield, biological yield andharvest index. Seed yield plant-1 as well as seedand biological yields and harvest index weresignificantly higher with the application ofRDN through chemical fertilizers. Applicationof 100% RDN through inorganic fertilizersincreased seed yield, biological yield and harvestindex by 83.07%, 32.10% and 38.58%,respectively over absolute control and it wasfound that seed and biological yield for T2 (100%RDN through inorganic fertilizers were at parwith T8 (application of 50% RDN throughfertilizers and 50% through vermicompost), T7(50% RDN through fertilizers and 50% throughpoultry manure, T6  (50% RDN throughfertilizers and 50% through FYM), T5  (100%RDN through vermicompost) and T4  (100%RDN through poultry manure). Balancedsupply of nutrients plays a vital role in variousmetabolic processes, which resulted in increasedflowering and fruiting thereby improving yield.Bhati et al. (1988) recorded similar findings athigher level of N, P and K in fennel. Patel et al.(2000) also reported higher yield with RDNapplied through fertilizers in fennel while, Jat& Choudhary (2004) reported highestfenugreek seed yield with 100% inorganic N.Mohamed & Abdu (2004) observed higher yieldof fennel from poultry manure than FYM.Singh (2011) recorded maximum biomass, seedand oil yield of coriander with the applicationof 7.5 t vermicompost + 25% recommended doseof NPK fertilizers.Effect on economicsThe data (Table 2) revealed that application of100% RDN through inorganic sources fetched Table 1. Effect of different sources of nutrients on growth and yield attributes of fennelPlantNo. ofNo. ofNo. ofNo. ofNo. ofTestSeedheightprimarysecondaryumbelsumbellatesseedsweightyield(cm)branchesbranchesplant-1umbel-1umbellate-1(g)plant-1plant-1plant-1(g)T1-Control (Absolute)112.564.2410.3211.4812.5425.256.1210.21T2-100% RDN through fertilizers (90:45:0)156.256.7818.6519.7816.4238.458.4116.10T3-100% RDN through FYM140.545.8515.2315.9814.6830.427.8413.45T4-100%  RDN throughpoultry manure143.365.9415.5916.1214.7431.247.9213.84T5-100% RDN through vermicompost146.756.0416.2216.5415.2331.957.9814.05T6-50% RDN through fertilizers +50% RDN through FYM148.356.2117.0517.1115.6433.118.0814.56T7-50% RDN through fertilizers +50% RDN through poultry manure149.256.3617.4817.5615.7834.878.1414.84T8-50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost152.586.4417.8418.0416.0535.978.2315.12CD (P<0.05)11.240.711.942.241.543.280.822.04CV%10.29.6810.188.488.949.478.749.24Treatment203maximum gross returns (Rs. 93000 ha-1), netreturns (Rs. 62090 ha-1) and B:C ratio (3.01)followed by application of 50% RDN throughfertilizers and 50% through vermicompost-T8(B:C ratio 2.66) and 50% RDN throughfertilizers and 50% through poultry manure-T7 (B:C ratio 2.37).It is concluded that application of 100% RDNthrough chemical fertilizers (T2) gave maximumyield (23.25 q ha -1) of fennel and fetchedmaximum net returns (Rs. 62,090 ha-1) and B:C ratio (3.01). However, from sustainableproduction and soil health point of view werecommend combined application of 50% RDNthrough fertilizers + 50% RDN through organicmanures (vermicompost/ poultry manure/FYM), where the yields obtained (22.70, 21.98and 21.01 q ha-1, respectively) were at par withthat of the treatment T2.ReferencesBhati D S, Shaktawat M S, Somani L L & AgarwalH R 1988 Response of fennel (Foeniculumvulgare) to nitrogen and phosphorus.Transactions of Indian Soc. DesertTechnol. 2: 79–83.Jat N L & Choudhary G R 2004 Effect of nitro-gen, FYM and biofertilizers on seed yieldof fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.).In: National seminar on new perspec-tives in commercial cultivation, pro-cessing and marketing of seed spicesand medicinal plants, Jobner,Rajasthan, March 25–26.Mohamed M A H & Abdu M 2004 Growth andoil production of fennel (Foeniculumvulgare): Effect of irrigation and organicfertilization. Biol. Agri. Hort. 22: 31–39.Pandey N, Verma A K, Anurag & Tripathi R S2007 Integrated nutrient managementin transplanted hybrid rice (Oryza sa-tiva). Indian J. Agron. 52: 40–42.Panse V G & Sukhatme P V 1985 StatisticalMethods for Agricultural Workers,Indian Council of Agricultural Research,New Delhi.Parihar C M, Rana K S & Kantwa S R 2010 Nu-trient management in pearlmillet(Pennisetum glaucum)-mustard (BrassicaOrganic and inorganic nutrition on fennelTable 2. Effect of different sources of nutrients on yield and economics of fennelSeedBiologicalHarvestGrossCost ofNetReturns dueB: CTreatmentyieldyieldindexreturnscultivationreturnsto treatmentratio(q ha-1)(q ha-1)(%)(Rs )(Rs)(Rs)(Rs)T1-Control (Absolute)12.7083.3315.24508002900021800-1.75T2-100% RDN through  fertilizers (90:45:0)23.25110.0821.12930003091062090422003.01T3-100% RDN through FYM19.2198.7719.45768404250034340260401.81T4-100%  RDN through poultry manure19.89100.5619.78795604320036360287601.84T5-100% RDN through vermicompost20.56102.5920.04822403920043040314402.10T6-50% RDN through fertilizers +50% through FYM21.01104.2720.15840403670047340332402.29T7-50% RDN through fertilizers +50% through poultry manure21.98108.0020.35879203705050870371202.37T8-50% RDN through fertilizers +50% through vermicompost22.70111.0020.45908003420056600400002.66CD (P<0.05)3.7610.320.82204juncea) cropping system as affected byland configuration under limited irri-gation. Indian J. Agron. 55: 191–196.Patel B S, Amin A U, Patel K P & Patel M M 2003Influence of organic manures or in com-bination with inorganic fertilizers onproductivity of winter drilled fennel(Foeniculum vulgare). Indian J. Agron. 48:232–234.Patel B S, Patel K P, Patel I D & Patel M 2000Response of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)to irrigation, nitrogen and phosphorus.Indian J. Agron. 45: 429–432Sherin S & Ahuja S 2009 Effect of organic andinorganic fertilizers on yield and yieldattributes of cluster bean. Field CropAbstract 62: 596.Singh M 2011 Effect of vermicompost and chemi-cal fertilizers on growth, yield and qual-ity of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) ina semi arid tropical climate. J. SpicesArom. Crops 20: 30–33.Godara et al.

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Influence of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on growth, yield and economics of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) cultivation under semi arid conditions

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Influence of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on growth, yield and economics of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) cultivation under semi arid conditions

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