Sustainable Productivity and Profitability Enhancement through Liquid Organic Manures in a Pea, Spinach and Coriander Cropping Sequence
Ritika Gautam *
Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, India.
Upender Singh
Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, India.
Shradha Chauhan
Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, India.
Ashish Kumar
Directorate of Extension Education, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, India.
Priyanshu
Department of Basic Science, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, India.
Riya
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A two-year field experiment was undertaken to assess the effect of integrated use of cow-based liquid organic manures, specifically Ghanjeevamrit (at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 t/ha) and Jeevamrit (10%, 20%, and 30% concentrations) on soil health, crop productivity and economic returns under a pea-spinach-coriander cropping sequence in the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. The integrated application of these natural farming inputs significantly influenced the pea equivalent yield (PEY) and benefit: cost (B:C) ratio. The highest PEY (114.77 q/ha) and B:C ratio (3.27) were recorded under the treatment T9 (1.5 t/ha Ghanjeevamrit + 30% Jeevamrit). Strong and positive correlation coefficients (r > 0.97) and regression models (R² > 0.97) confirmed the significant linear relationships between input levels and observed parameters. The study confirms the agronomic and economic feasibility of substituting chemical inputs with natural alternatives, offering a sustainable pathway for low-input hill farming.
Keywords: Natural farming, Jeevamrit, Ghanjeevamrit, pea equivalent yield, regression, benefit-cost ratio