Effect of Biofertilizer and Plant Spacing on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

A field experiment “effect of biofertilizer and plant spacing on growth, yield and fruit quality of brinjal” was carried out. Four Biofertilizer levels (B₁:0, B₂: 6.5, B₃: 8.5 and B₄: 10.5L ha^-1) and four Plant spacing (S₁: 60×30, S₂: 60×60, S₃: 60×90 and S₄: 60×120cm) were used. A Randomize Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement was used in such a way that biofertilizer levels were subjected to main plots and plant spacing was allotted to sub plots. Biofertilizers and plant spacing significantly (P≤0.05) affected most of the attributes studied. Among the Biofertilizer treatments, maximum plant height (108.72cm), number of leaves plant^-1(135.33), leaf area (90.73cm²), fruit weight (99.36gm), yield plant^-1 (1.77kg), total yield (37.21tons ha^-1), fruit pH (5.59), vitamin C (3.00mg) and fruit firmness (2.06kg cm^-2) were recorded in biofertilizer application @6.5L ha^-1. In case of different plant spacing maximum plant height (102.35cm), number of  leaves plant^-1 (123.45), leaf area (86.41cm²), fruit weight plant^-1 (89.54gm), yield plant^-1 (1.63kg), total yield (40.64tons ha^-1), fruit pH (5.44), vitamin C (2.70mg) and fruit firmness (2.05kg cm^-2) were recorded in 60x60 cm. It is concluded that biofertilizer application @6.5 L ha^-1 with plant spacing 60x60 cm increased the qualitative and quantitative attributes of brinjal.

Keywords: Brinjal, biofertilizer, plant spacing, growth, yield, quality.