A Practice to Enhance Soil Physico-chemical Properties and Viable Microbial Count as Effected by Organic Nutrient Sources in Garden Pea under Mid Hill Zone of Himachal Pradesh

Background: Excessive use of agrochemicals and fertilizers in the post era of green revolution has led to a long term toxic effect on soil and threatened the fragile ecosystem. Application of inorganic inputs has increased the productivity of produce, but has severely impacted environment and soil health. In the light of this view, there is a need to conserve soil by adopting organic farming systems. Methods: The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) factorial with three replications comprising of twelve treatment combinations of four levels of organic manure and three levels of liquid manure. Biofertilizers (Rhizobium + Phosphate solubilizing bacteria) were applied @ 200 g/10 kg as seed and 5 kg/ha as soil application uniformly to all the treatment combinations. Result: Results revealed that treatment combination of M3J2 (FYM @ 15 t/ha + jeevamrit @ 10 per cent drenching) + biofertilizers resulted in maximum organic carbon (1.37%), nitrogen (375.31 kg/ha), phosphorus (62.62 kg/ha), potassium (345.33 kg/ha), viable microbial count (195.25 cfu/g of soil) along with lowest pH and electrical conductivity.