The experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Department of Organic Agriculture and Natural Farming, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur at an altitude of 1290.8 metre a.m.s.l with latitude 32°6' N and longitude 76°3' E and at two different farmers’ sites at Akrot in Una at an altitude of 369 metre a.m.s.l with latitude 31°4' N and longitude 76°3' E and Rajol in Kangra at an altitude of 733 metre a.m.s.l with latitude 32°1' N and longitude 76°3' E. The Research farm area represents the mid-hill wet temperate zone of Himachal Pradesh. Different organic inputs like Matka khad, Panchgavya, Jeevamrit
etc were used for preparation of enriched compost (Table 1). After the preparation of enriched compost and its evaluation, shortlisted treatments were tested under protected conditions at Research farm and at farmers’ field. Capsicum crop variety California wonder was transplanted on 20
th May with spacing of 50x30 cm and first picking was taken on 2
nd July which continued up to 20
th August. Pea crop variety PB-89 was sown with spacing of 50 × 5 cm on 12
th November and its first pick was taken on 4
th April which continued up to 25
th May.
Preparation of enriched compost
Collection of green biomass and its inoculation with liquid manure
Two to three days old green biomass was collected and placed in the form of heaps on 1 m
3 area. Three inoculants namely matka khad, panchgavya, jeevamrit and water (control) were sprinkled over biomass layer by layer at the rate of 2 lt. liquid manure per quintal biomass. This treated biomass was kept for 15 days for decomposition.
Enrichment of main material (cow dung)
After the partial decomposition of green material, it was enriched with different enrichments namely rock phosphate, gypsum, patent kali, combination of three (rock phosphate, gypsum, patent kali) along with control as per treatment. Other inputs such as bone manure, sheep droppings and oilseed cakes were also added as common in all the treatments. In order to upgrade nutrient content of the compost, nitrogen fixing bacteria, rock phosphate and phosphate solubilising microorganisms has been documented
(Singh et al., 1992; Pazhanivelan et al., 2006). Five treatments per liquid manure were experimented.
Fortification of enriched manures
After the preparation of the enriched compost, this compost was further fortified with biofertilizers
viz; Rhizobium, Tricoderma, phosphate solubilizers, combination of three [
Rhizobium, Tricoderma, phosphate solubilizers (PSB)] and control in case of peas, whereas in case of capsicum
Azotobacter was used. Fortification was done in pots containing 3 kg compost at the rate of 1 kg
Tricoderma and 250g
Rhizobium/ Azotobacter and PSB per 25 kg compost. This fortified compost was used for conducting trials. The addition of compost or organic manure is an important way to improve the soil in degraded areas since nitrogen and other nutrients, as well as organic matter which improves soil structure, was added with the organic material
(Caravaca et al., 2002; Muthukumar and Udaiyan, 2000,
Nziguheba et al., 2000; Shrestha
Vaidya et al., 2008). Polyhouse trial was conducted in 250 m
2 area and best nine treatments were short listed on the basis of basic study and were further evaluated in the field conditions. Enriched and fortified compost was amended in the soil in separate plots according to treatments.
To manage different insect pest and diseases following spray schedule was followed.
Spray schedule: After 15 days of germination at 15 days interval.
· Milk (1 lt.) + heeng (50g) in 10 lt. water spray.
· Neem oil (5 ml in 1 lt. water).
· Vermiwash (2 lt.) + panchgavya (1 lt.) in 15 lt. water.
· Milk (1 lt.) + heeng (50g) in 10 lt. water spray.
In addition to this vermiwash drip was followed at weekly interval to meet out the nutrient requirements of the crops and initially at sowing or transplanting vermicompost was added in soil @ 10t/ha.
