Optimizing Nutrient Recommendations for Bottle Gourd Crop by Formulation of Targeted Yield Equations in an Inceptisol of Odisha, India

A field experiment was conducted to formulate targeted yield equations for bottle gourd under a rice-vegetable cropping system in an Inceptisol of Odisha. The experiment started with the creation of three soil fertility gradient stripes by applying no fertilizer, recommended dose and double the recommended dose of fertilizer in rice (cv. Lalat) during the kharif season. Each fertility gradient strip was divided into 24 sub-plots and superimposed with 21 different combinations of nutrients containing N, P, and K; FYM in two plots at 5t and 10t ha-1 and one plot was kept as absolute control following which, bottle gourd was grown during the rabi season. The highest yield (116.3q ha-1) of bottle gourd was achieved in S-III with an application of 70, 100, and 100 kg N, P2O5, and K2O per hectare, respectively. The nutrient requirement (NR) for producing one quintal of bottle gourd yield was 0.30, 0.20, and 0.30 kg N, P2O5 and K2O, respectively. The effect of graded doses of fertilizers on nutrient requirement, yield and nutrient uptake of bottle gourd were studied and subsequently, fertilizer prescription equations were derived for targeted yield of bottle gourd. A ready reckoner chart has also been prepared for facilitating farmers to achieve the desired yield target of bottle gourd by applying the required quantity of plant nutrients in the existing soil fertility level. The equations provide a basis for site-specific nutrient management based on desired yield targets under varying soil fertility conditions.