Synergistic effects of urea, FYM and vermicompost regimes on vegetative growth, yield, soil fertility and rhizosphere microbiome of red dragon fruit

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) on the growth, yield, and soil properties of dragon fruit ( Hylocereus costaricensis ). The primary objective was to identify the optimal combination of organic and inorganic nutrient sources for maximizing productivity while maintaining soil health. A field experiment was conducted during 2022–23 and 2023–24 at Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Nine treatments comprising different combinations of Urea, Farm Yard Manure (FYM), and vermicompost were evaluated under a randomized design. Growth parameters, yield attributes, and soil physicochemical and biological properties were recorded and analyzed. Among the treatments, T6 (50% recommended nitrogen through Urea, 25% through FYM, and 25% through vermicompost) resulted in the highest vegetative growth, including plant height (34.76 cm), stem diameter (0.71 cm), and canopy volume (1.78 m 3 ). The same treatment also recorded the maximum number of flowers (22.67), fruits per plant (18.17), and economic yield (6.88 kg plant −1 ). Regarding soil properties, T5 (75% N through Urea and 25% N through FYM) maintained the most favorable soil pH (7.04), whereas T6 significantly improved available soil nitrogen (246.79 kg ha −1 ), phosphorus (15.47 kg ha −1 ), and potassium (130.41 kg ha −1 ). Treatments based entirely on organic sources promoted the highest soil organic carbon (0.90%) and microbial populations, including Azotobacter , total bacteria, and fungi. The combined application of Urea, FYM, and vermicompost proved effective for enhancing dragon fruit productivity while sustaining soil fertility and biological health.