Vol. 9, Issue 2, Part D (2025)

The experiment was carried out at Regional Horticultural Research Station (RHRS) and Instructional Farm, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari during the year 2021-22 and 2023-24. The experiment was implemented as a randomized block design with factorial concept with three replications consisting three factors viz., A) source of nutrient with three levels (N₁ - 100% RDF, N₂ - 80% RDF and N₃ - 70% RDF + 25% Castor cake), B) Time of application with two levels (M₁: 2, 4, 6 and 8 month after planting and M₂: N at the time of planting and 2, 4, 6 and 8 MAP, P: 50% at planting and 50% at 4 MAP, K: 4, 6 and 8 MAP), C) Biofertilizer with two levels (B₀: Without biofertilizer and B₁: With Biofertilizer). The results were pooled of two years. The combined effect of various sources, time of nutrient application and biofertilizer treatment registered maximum plant height, stem girth, number of leaves per plant at 4, 6 and 8 MAP and total number of leaves per plant. Maximum average plant height (133.56, 186.78 and 238.97 cm, respectively), stem girth (24.95, 40.36 and 56.04 cm, respectively), number of leaves per plant (20.33, 29.53 and 42.20, respectively) at 4, 6 and 8 MAP and total number of leaves per plant (52.03) was recorded in treatment combination N₃M₁B₁ i.e. 70% RDF (FYM 5 kg plant^-1, NPK 140: 140: 175 g plant^-1) + 25% Castor cake at 2, 4, 6 and 8 months after planting along with application of biofertilizer i.e. PSB @ 5 ml plant^-1 after the establishment of seedlings, Azotobacter @ 5 ml plant^-1 at 5 MAP and KMB @ 5 ml plant^-1at 5 and 7 MAP equally i.e. 2.5 ml in pooled analysis. The influence of sources, time of nutrient application and biofertilizer failed to show any significant effect on plant height at fruit inception, days taken for initiation of flowering and days taken for first harvest in pooled analysis.