Bio-priming in combination with mineral fertilizer improves nutritional quality and yield of red cabbage under Middle Gangetic Plains, India
2021
Sarkar, Deepranjan | Rakshit, Amitava
Field assays (2016−17 and 2017−18) were conducted in Varanasi, India during the rabi season to determine the combined impact of seedling bio-priming and mineral fertilizers on nutrient concentration, bioactive compounds, and yield of the exotic crop (red cabbage) at harvest. The recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF, N:P₂O₅:K₂O) was applied @ 120:60:60 kg ha⁻¹. Three compatible primers (Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis) were applied singly and in combination with 75 % RDF. Evaluation of plant growth-promoting activities of the priming agents revealed the superiority of P. fluorescens over other bio-agents. In general, bio-priming treatments recorded higher crop quality and crop yield than control and sole application of chemical fertilizers. Application of 75 % RDF + T. harzianum + P. fluorescens resulted in the highest head N content (2.22 %), Cu (8.37 mg kg⁻¹), and protein content (1.63 g 100 g⁻¹) along with head yield (21.05 t ha⁻¹). Inclusion of dual bacterial inoculations (P. fluorescens and B. subtilis) in the integrated system resulted in the highest head P (0.37 %), K (2.84 %), Fe (160.12 mg kg⁻¹), Zn (34.18 mg kg⁻¹) and total carbohydrate (6.69 g 100 g⁻¹) content. A microbial consortium of T. harzianum and B. subtilis increased the head Mn (21.57 mg kg⁻¹) and vitamin C (63.05 mg 100 g⁻¹) content. Treatments had no significant effect on β-carotene and anthocyanin concentration in the crop. The performance of the dual consortium was better than the triple consortium. Therefore, the current study highlights the significance of dual inoculations in comparison to individual and triple inoculations in substituting the mineral fertilizer requirements and promoting sustainable red cabbage production in Middle Gangetic Plains by improving product quality.
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