Effect of inorganic and biofertilizers on vegetative growth and reproductive growth parameters of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) Cv. Balanagar

This study was conducted to determine “Effect of inorganic and biofertilizers on growth, yield and quality of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) Cv. Balanagar”. The field study was carried out at Custard apple Research Station, Ambejogai, Dist. Beed. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with fourteen treatments and three replications. The results indicated that there was significant variation in growth parameters of custard apple due to application of different inorganic and biofertilizers treatments. All the plant growth parameters studied viz., increase in plant height (51.55 cm), increase in tree spread (east-west 47.55 cm and north-south spread 49.80 cm), increase in stem girth (6.80 cm) and plant volume (13.31 m3) were significantly higher with the treatment T2 (100% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB) followed by treatment T3 (100 % RDF + FYM + Azotobacter) and T6 (75% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB) while the lowest values for these parameters were obtained under control treatment (T14). Reproductive growth parameters viz., maximum number of flowers per meter cube (21.00 flowers), number of fruits per meter cube (16.00 fruits), maximum fruit set % (76.21%) recorded in treatment T2 (100% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB) followed by T3 (100 % RDF + FYM + Azotobacter) and minimum number of days required for flowering (151.00 days), fruit set (10.10 days) and fruit maturity (100.00 days) recorded in treatment of T2 (100% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB) which was at par with treatment T6 (75% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB).