Background: Excessive use of agrochemicals and fertilizers in the post era of green revolution has led to a long term toxic effect on soil and threatened the fragile ecosystem. Application of inorganic inputs has increased the productivity of produce, but has severely impacted environment and soil health. In the light of this view, there is a need to conserve soil by adopting organic farming systems. Methods: The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) factorial with three replications comprising of twelve treatment combinations of four levels of organic manure and three levels of liquid manure. Biofertilizers (Rhizobium + Phosphate solubilizing bacteria) were applied @ 200 g/10 kg as seed and 5 kg/ha as soil application uniformly to all the treatment combinations. Result: Results revealed that treatment combination of M3J2 (FYM @ 15 t/ha + jeevamrit @ 10 per cent drenching) + biofertilizers resulted in maximum organic carbon (1.37%), nitrogen (375.31 kg/ha), phosphorus (62.62 kg/ha), potassium (345.33 kg/ha), viable microbial count (195.25 cfu/g of soil) along with lowest pH and electrical conductivity.

The present study was carried out at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh during the rainy (kharif) season of 2019, 2020 and 2021 to evaluate the effect of different organic amendments in seed production of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cv. Chinese Pink. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design, consisting of seven treatments with three replications. The treatments were: T1, Control; T2, FYM @20 t/ha; T3, Vermicompost @8 t/ha; T4, FYM @10 t/ha + vermicompost @4 t/ha; T5, FYM @20 t/ha + Vermiwash @1:1 (v/v - water + vermiwash) spray; T6, Vermicompost @8 t/ha + Vermiwash @1:1 (v/v - water + vermiwash) spray; T7, FYM @10 t/ha + Vermicompost @4 t/ha + Vermiwash @1:1 (v/v – water + vermiwash) spray. Pooled data of three consecutive years revealed that application of T7 recorded maximum plant height (127.30 cm), number of branches per plant (9.89), highest number of pods per plant (690.57), more seed yield per plant (30.35 g) and seed yield per hectare (5.93 q). This treatment also resulted in maximum 1000-seed weight (11.83 g), germination (94.77%), seed vigour index-I (2420.51) and seed vigour index-II (669.33) along with highest net return (`458135.70/ha) and benefit:cost ratio (3.40).

Background: French bean is an important legume vegetable crop. Due to its low ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, excess amount of nitrogenous fertilizers are required by this crop as compared to other legumes. Overwhelming application of inorganic inputs has severely impacted environment and soil. So, there is a need to reduce inorganic inputs by adding organic nutrient sources. Methods: A three-year field experiment was laid comprising of eight treatment combinations and was replicated thrice during Kharif season of 2018, 2019 and 2020. Seeds of French bean cv. Green Wonder were sown at a spacing of 45 × 15 cm in each plot of size 3.0 m × 1.8 m. Recommended dose of fertilizers (NPK 50:100:50 kg ha-1) was followed as per different treatment details. Result: Application of 75 per cent NPK through inorganic and 25 per cent N through vermicompost resulted in minimum days to first pod harvest (61.89 days), maximum pod width (7.67 mm), number of pods per plant (30.96), plant height (51.29 cm), average pod weight (5.70 g), marketable pod yield (130.53 q ha-1) and highest benefit cost ratio (2.18) along with maximum net returns (Rs. 313061.43 ha-1).