Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2014–15 to investigate the effect of different levels of biofertilizers (Azotobacter and PSB) in combination with three levels of NPK fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of garlic ‘GHC-1’. The application of biofertilizers alone and in combination resulted in significant improvement in plant height, number of leaves per plant, average bulb weight, bulb diameter, number of cloves per bulb, average clove weight, clove length, clove diameter, bulb yield, total soluble solid and dry matter of bulb over un-inoculated control. The increased bulb yield was to the tune of 25.86, 12.99 and 9.81% with the combination of biofertilizers (Azotobacter+PSB), PSB and Azotobacter, respectively, over un-inoculated control. The application of NPK fertilizers significantly increased all the growth, yield and quality along with bulb yield over control with each incremental level of NPK. The interaction effects showed that bulb yield was increased in a linear manner with the application of bio-inoculants integrated with increasing levels of NPK fertilizers. The highest bulb yield (20.89 t/ha) was recorded when the plots were supplemented with 100% NPK+seedlings dipping of both the inoculants. Furthermore, it was observed that the yield (20.09 t/ha) obtained with the application of 75% NPK+Azotobacter+PSB was at par with that of recommended NPK (100%), thus resulting in net saving of 25% NPK fertilizers.