Efficiency of organic manures on growth, yield and quality of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) var. Snowball-16

Introduction

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) is a prominent cool-season vegetable crop belonging to the Brassicaceae family. It is widely appreciated for its compact, edible curd (immature inflorescence), mild flavour, and high nutritional value. A 100 g serving of raw cauliflower supplies approximately 25-27 kcal, 2 g dietary fibre, more than 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin C, along with notable amounts of vitamin K, folate, choline, potassium, and manganese. The crop is also rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates bioactive sulphur compounds known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anticancer properties. These features make cauliflower a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food that supports immunity, digestion, detoxification, and overall health. Demand for cauliflower has grown significantly in recent years due to increasing health awareness and the popularity of low-carbohydrate and keto diets, where it is commonly used as a substitute for rice or wheat-based products. India ranks as the world's second-largest producer of cauliflower and broccoli. As per the final estimates for 2024-25, the country's total vegetable production stood at approximately 207.21 million tonnes, with cauliflower contributing a major share, especially during the Rabi season in the northern and eastern plains. Uttar Pradesh is one of the leading producing states. Under optimal management, progressive farmers commonly achieve yields of 25-30 t ha⁻¹. However, long-term dependence on synthetic fertilizers has led to soil degradation, nutrient imbalances, reduced microbial activity, and several environmental concerns. Consumers are increasingly seeking residue-free, organically produced vegetables. Organic manures play a vital role by improving soil structure, enhancing waterholding capacity, stimulating beneficial microbes, and providing steady nutrient release. Despite these advantages, location-specific comparative data on the performance of different organic manures for cauliflower var. Snowball-16 under the Middle Gangetic Plain conditions of Uttar Pradesh are still limited.

Research methodology

The field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2025-26 at the Agricultural Research Field, Rama University, Mandhana, Kanpur, and Uttar Pradesh. The www.extensionjournal.com experimental soil was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8), with electrical conductivity of 0.28 dS m⁻¹, organic carbon 0.48%, available nitrogen 142.5 kg ha⁻¹, available phosphorus 24.8 kg ha⁻¹ and available potassium 168 kg ha⁻¹. Cauliflower variety Snowball-16 was used. Thirty-day-old healthy seedlings were transplanted in the first week of December. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with nine treatments and three replications. Each plot measured 3.0 m × 0.90 m (2.70 m²) with a spacing of 60 cm × 45 cm (10 plants per plot). The treatments were:  T₁: RDF (120:80:40 kg NPK ha⁻¹)  T₂: FYM @ 15 t ha⁻¹  T₃: Vermicompost @ 15 t ha⁻¹  T₄: Poultry manure @ 15 t ha⁻¹  T₅: Goat manure @ 15 t ha⁻¹  T₆: FYM @ 20 t ha⁻¹  T₇: Vermicompost @ 20 t ha⁻¹  T₈: Poultry manure @ 20 t ha⁻¹  T₉: Goat manure @ 20 t ha⁻¹ Well-decomposed organic manures were incorporated into the soil two weeks before transplanting. Standard agronomic practices including irrigation at 7-10 day intervals, manual weeding, hoeing and plant protection measures were followed uniformly. Observations were recorded on growth parameters (plant height, number of leaves, plant spread), curd characters (polar and equatorial diameter, fresh curd weight, curd volume), yield, quality (TSS) and economics. Post-harvest soil samples were also analysed. Data were statistically analysed using ANOVA appropriate for Randomized Block Design. Treatment means were compared by Critical Difference (CD) at 5% probability level. Standard error of mean (SEm±) and coefficient of variation (CV %) are presented with each table.

Results and Discussion

Growth parameters

Application of different organic manures significantly affected vegetative growth. Poultry manure applied at 20 t ha⁻¹ (T₈) produced the maximum plant height of 52.6 cm at 60 DAT, which was statistically at par with T₇ and T₉ (Table 1). The lowest height was recorded in T₂ (FYM @ 15 t ha⁻¹). Similar trends were observed for number of leaves per plant and plant spread. The superior performance of T₈ is attributed to the high content of readily available nitrogen and phosphorus in poultry manure, which supported rapid cell division and canopy development.

Quality and economics

Vermicompost @ 20 t ha⁻¹ (T₇) recorded the highest TSS (6.8 °Brix), while T₈ gave 6.6 °Brix. Economically, T₈ recorded the highest gross return (₹5, 08,500 ha⁻¹), net return (₹3, 03,500 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (2.48) (Table 7). The superior economic performance was mainly due to higher marketable yield and better curd quality.

Discussion

Poultry manure applied at 20 t ha⁻¹ (T₈) consistently gave the best results for growth, curd size, weight, volume and marketable yield. This can be attributed to its high nutrient concentration and relatively fast mineralisation rate, which matched the crop's nutrient demand during critical curd formation stages. Vermicompost and goat manure at 20 t ha⁻¹ performed almost equally well due to the presence of humic substances, plant growth regulators and enhanced microbial activity. The RDF treatment showed quicker early growth but could not sustain nutrient supply as effectively as higher organic doses. Lower manure rates, especially FYM at 15 t ha⁻¹, resulted in slower nutrient release and inferior performance. Quality parameters such as TSS, curd compactness and shelf life were markedly better under higher organic treatments because of balanced and sustained nutrition with reduced nitrate accumulation. The highest economic returns in T₈ resulted from significantly higher marketable yield and premium quality of produce. These observations are in agreement with the findings of Kaur et al. (2020) [12] , Rasool et al. (2023), Bopche et al. (2024) [4] and several other researchers cited in the thesis.

Conclusion

On the basis of the one-year field study, it can be concluded that poultry manure applied at 20 t ha⁻¹ is the most effective treatment for maximising growth, curd yield (29.7 t ha⁻¹), quality and economic returns in cauliflower var. Snowball-

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