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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. Sp2 (2025): Current Trends in Plant Science and Microbiome for Sustainability

Effect of enriched compost on palak (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis) productivity, profitability and soil health in India’s northern plains

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.4626
Submitted
12 August 2024
Published
28-07-2025

Abstract

The present study explores the synergistic effect of enriched compost on palak (Beta vulgaris var. Bengalensis) productivity, profitability and soil health. By investigating the potential of these composts’ combinations, the study contributes to enhancing agricultural sustainability through more efficient use of organic resources, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improving economic outcomes for farmers. The investigation was carried out over two consecutive cropping seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the Vegetable Farm, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab to improve ordinary composts for higher productivity and profitability of leafy vegetables. The variety “Harit Shobha” was used in this experiment. This research was organized using a three-replication, randomized completely block design having 10 treatment (T) combinations of organic and inorganics. The treatment combination having 50 % mineral enriched compost at 2.5 t/ha + microbial enriched compost at 2.5 t/ha (T7) recorded the highest yield (109.12 and 102.31 q/ha), with annual net returns of ₹1.59 and ₹1.64 lacs/ha and the corresponding B:C ratio of 2.72 and 2.73 per hectare, respectively. The treatment combination T7 (50 % MEC1 at 2.5 t/ha + 50 % MEC2 at 2.5 t/ha) also improved soil health as envisaged through post-harvest availability of N, P and K through 6.69, 36.59 and 3.06 % increase, over the initial content. Therefore, it can be concluded that treatment T7 resulted in saving 100 % of fertilizers, improving growth, yield, net returns and enhanced soil health thus, can be a cost-effective combination for getting higher yield with better quality on a sustainable basis.

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