Optimizing Nitrogen Use for Sustainable Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Production through Integrated Nutrient Management

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022 at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, Faculty of Horticulture, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, to evaluate the effect of integrated nitrogen management on the growth, quality, and post-harvest soil nitrogen status of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with eight treatments and three replications. Different combinations of inorganic nitrogen, farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), and recommended phosphorus and potassium (PK) fertilisers were evaluated. Among the treatments, the application of 50% nitrogen through inorganic fertiliser and 50% through FYM, along with the recommended PK, significantly improved fresh and dry matter accumulation at different growth stages. The same treatment also recorded the highest protein content (19.00%) and total nitrogen content in seeds (3.04%). Essential oil content, moisture content, and nitrogen content in plants did not differ significantly among the treatments. The highest available soil nitrogen after harvest (154.38 kg ha⁻¹) was also recorded under the treatment comprising 50% inorganic nitrogen + 50% FYM along with the recommended PK. The results suggested that the integrated application of inorganic nitrogen and FYM was an effective nutrient management strategy for improving crop growth, seed quality, and soil nitrogen availability in coriander.