No abstract

French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a member of family fabaceae, is one of the most ancient and popular warm season vegetable crop grown worldwide for its green pods. It is an important source of protein, calcium, iron and vitamins in human diet. The crop is known by various names as French bean, common bean, snap bean, kidney bean and navy bean. In India, it is commercially cultivated in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, hills of Uttrakhand, North-Eastern states and peninsular India, covering an area of about 1,50,000 ha with annual production of 4,20,000 tonnes and ranks 4 th in green bean production in the world. Its cultivation in Northern Indian plains is rather restricted in account of limited period of favorable weather conditions. It occupies an area of 3,197 ha with annual production of 33,112 metric tonnes in Himachal Pradesh. Biocompost and vermicompost supplement the nutrient requirements of crops. Concerning the economic sustainability, the low cost of compost is useful to farmer as well to human society. Vermicompost is reported to be rich in nutrient elements (Jambhekar, 1992) and biocompost also contains high amount of nutrients than ordinary compost or FYM.

The present investigation was carried out to standardize integrated nutrient management schedule and planting dates for loose flower production in china aster cv. 'Kamini'. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with 2 planting dates i.e. April and July and 12 treatment combinations i.e. 100%, 85% and 70% NPK along with vermicompost, biofertilizers (Azotobacter + Arbuscular Mycorrhizae fungi) replicated thrice. China aster (Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees) belongs to family 'Asteraceae' and is native to China. China aster is a symbol of patience and elegance. The species is a hardy annual, commercially grown for loose flowers, which are used in floral decoration, garlands, beds and borders and act as biocolorant. The chemical fertilizers are important sources of nutrients but the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers poses the threat of environmental pollution and soil health degradation. Biofertilizers are ready to use live formulation of such beneficial microorganisms which on application to seed, root or soil, mobilize the availability of nutrients by their biological activities. They help in buildup of the soil micro-flora and thereby soil health half dose of nitrogen and whole of the phosphorus and potassium were incorporated in soil one week before planting according to the treatments. The remaining half dose of nitrogen was applied after 30 days of planting. Vermicompost was applied immediately after planting @ 1kg/m 2 . Azotobacter were applied by preparing slurry of 200 g of the inocula in one litre of 10% sugar solution as root dip for 500 seedlings. The Arbuscular Mycorrhizae fungal consortia were applied @ 2 g/plant at the time of planting. The observations on various growth and flowering parameters were recorded and the results revealed that maximum plant height (72.70 cm), plant spread (29.77 cm), early blooming (75.97 days), number of flower per meter square (471.20), azotobacter count (31.22 x 10 -5 cfu/g of soil) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (AM) spore count (206.60 spore count per 50 gram) was observed with T 12 i.e. 70% NPK + Vermicompost + Biofertilizer with April planting.