EFFECT OF INORGANIC FERTILIZER ON THE VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF DRUMSTICK (Moringa oleifera)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Soil Science research field in Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during the rabi season of 2022. This study was done to examine the effects of inorganic fertilizer on the growth and yield of drumstick. The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There were six treatment combinations viz. T1: No fertilizer (control), T2: RDF NPKS, T3: N10P20K20, T4: N20P20K20, T5: N30P20K20, T6: N40P20K20, respectively. The result showed the yield contributing characteristics except plant height were not significantly influenced by different treatments used in the experiment. The highest value of plant height (at 15 DAT, 30 DAT and 60 DAT, 86.13 cm, 107.63 cm and 126.13 cm, respectively), number of leaves plant-1 (at 15 DAT, 30 DAT and 60 DAT, 9.33, 18.33 cm and 24.93 cm, respectively), diameter of the stem (at 15 DAT, 30 DAT and 60 DAT, 3.53 cm, 6.89 cm and 10.79 cm, respectively) was recorded in the treatment T5 (N30P20K20), among the combined application of inorganic fertilizer. Application of N30P20K20 exerted beneficial effects on yield and yield contributing characteristics of drumstick compared to control. Analyses of post-harvest soil fertility status revealed that the application of inorganic fertilizer positively influenced the total N, available P, exchangeable K, and available S contents in soils. In post-harvest soil application of NPK gave positive result. It also increased soil fertility status.