RESPONSE OF BIO-ORGANIC NUTRITION ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF ASHWAGANDHA (Withania somnifera Dunal.)

In an experiment conducted on ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal), to study the response of different organic amendments with organic manure (FYM) and bio-fertilizers in relation to plant growth, root yield and quality parameters it was found that the seedlings (5-7 leaf stage) inoculated with Azospirillum @ 105 or 106 CFU resulted a significant increase in plant growth and biomass yield. However, the root and seed yields were observed higher in the plants planted in soil amended with vermi-compost and FYM @ 2 or 3 kg/1.8 m2/plot. The plant height varied significantly among all the treated plots but remain taller (24.80 cm) in plots treated @ 2kg FYM having maximum stem diameter (0.48 cm) at 30 DAP (days after planting) and highest numbers of leaves per plant (438) after reaching 75 DAP followed by seedling treated with Azospirillum @ 106 CFU. However, the lowest number of leaves per plant (97.4) was observed in the plants grown in plots amended vermi-compost @ 2 kg/plot. Number of branches per plant remained highest (51.0) with plants treated with Azospirillum @ 106 CFU, soil amended with vermi-compost @ 2 kg and FYM @ 3 kg/plot followed by plants grown with Azospirillum @ 105 CFU (46.0). Whereas, the plants grown in plots amended without FYM produced least number of branches (21.2) even at 75 DAP. Fresh root weight per plant was observed maximum (24.0 g) in the plants amended with vermi-compost @ 2 kg and FYM @ 3 kg/plot and inoculated with Azospirillum @ 106 CFU. However, the dry weight of the roots remained highest (7.6 g/plant) in the plants treated with FYM @ 3 kg, vermi-compost @ 2 kg/plot and inoculated with Azospirillum @ 105 CFU.