Effect of organic and inorganic nutrient sources on growth, yield and quality of Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle)

An experiment was carried out at the Instructional cum research fruit orchard, College of Horticulture, Mandsaur, during 2016-17 on 10 years old Kagzi lime. Different doses of inorganic sources of NPK viz., 900:400:400 g NPK (100% NPK), 675:300:300 g NPK (75% NPK), 450:200:200 g NPK (50% NPK), 225:100:100 g NPK (25% NPK) and organic source through FYM i.e., 20 Kg, 15 Kg, 10Kg, vermicompost i.e., 10 Kg, 7 Kg, 3 Kg including 150 g VAM and 25 g Azotobactor inoculation were applied to the plants. Results revealed that the application of 75 % RDF + 3 kg vermicompost + 10 kg FYM + 150 g VAM + 25 g Azotobactor (T11) significantly influence the vegetative growth and quality parameters of acid lime.Maximum plant height (3.93 m), canopy spread in E-W direction (4.74 m), canopy spread in N-S direction (4.66 m), canopy volume (75.75 m3) leaf area (39.61 cm2), maximum TSS (7.930Brix), minimum acidity (6.11%), maximum TSS/acid ratio (1.29), ascorbic acid (32.27 mg/100g pulp) and chlorophyll content in leaves (64.40) were recorded with T11.Whereas, the application of 50 % RDF + 7 kg vermicompost + 15 kg FYM + 150 g VAM + 25 g Azotobactor had been found the most appropriate for physical and yield characteristics of the acid lime fruit. Maximum fruit length (4.86 cm), fruit diameter (4.70 cm), fruit volume (51.50 ml), specific gravity (1.05), juice (51.82%), maximum fruit weight (54.14 g), number of fruits per plant (967.06) and yield per plant (52.35 kg) were obtained with T12, while minimum seed weight (1.28 g) and maximum peel thickness (1.78 cm) was recorded in T11. The number of seed per fruit observed were non significant.