Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Yield and Quality of Sweet Potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] cv. Kanjangad

The investigation was carried out to study the “Effect of integrated nutrient management practices on yield and quality of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] cv. Kanjangad” at Elavuvilai village, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu during Kharif season of 2020. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatments replicated thrice. Sweet potato vine cuttings of about 15 cm with 4 nodes were used for the study. The treatments comprised of two levels of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF - 40:80:120 kg NPK ha-1) viz., 50 and 100% along with FYM, poultry manure, gibberellic acid and seaweed extract. The treatments comprised of half dose of nitrogen and full doses of phosphorous and potassium were applied as basal and remaining half dose of nitrogen was applied at 60 days after planting. Organic inputs viz., FYM (25 t, 12.5 t ha-1), poultry manure (5 t, 2.5 t ha-1) as were applied as basal application, gibberellic acid (200 ppm) and seaweed extract (2%) were applied as foliar application at 40, 55 and 70 days after planting were also used. The observations were recorded at 180 days after planting. The results indicated that the maximum values for yield parameters viz., number of tubers plant-1 (3.02 g), tuber length (19.02 cm), tuber girth (15.58 cm), tuber weight (138.36 g), tuber dry weight (66.73 g), tuber yield [plant-1 (417.84 g), plot-1 (12.18 kg), hectare-1 (30.45 t)], whereas quality parameters such as total soluble solid (9.210 Brix) and starch content (12.24%) of tuber, post harvest soil available nutrient (245.00 N; 21.93 P and 278.00 K kg ha-1), maximum net income (Rs. 5,16,050) and B: C ratio (3.23) were recorded in the plots which received 50% RDF + FYM 12.5 t ha-1 + Poultry manure 2.5 t ha-1 + Seaweed extract 2% (T9). This was followed by (T6) 50% RDF+ FYM 12.5 t ha-1 + Poultry manure 2.5 t ha-1 + GA3 200 ppm.