Heliyon · 2023 · 25 citations · 57 references
The cultivation of bitter gourd (<i>Momordica charantia</i> L.) in Nepal faces significant challenges, resulting in diminished yields compared with other regions. The pivotal issue is optimizing fertilizer management practices to enhance bitter gourd growth and yield. In April 2022, a field experiment was conducted in Kapilvastu, Nepal to investigate the efficacy of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of bitter gourd. The study included five treatments: the recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizer (111.66:54.56:35.36 NPK kg ha<sup>-1</sup>, and 29.49 t ha<sup>-1</sup> farmyard manure), 100 % poultry manure, 100 % farmyard manure, 50 % NPK + 50 % poultry manure, and 50 % NPK + 50 % farmyard manure. We hypothesized that a blend of 50 % organic and 50 % inorganic manure would significantly enhance bitter gourd performance. These treatments were evaluated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications and analyzed using R-Studio. The results showed that 50 % NPK +50 % poultry manure increased growth parameters, such as plant height (380 cm), branch count plant<sup>-1</sup> (22), node count plant<sup>-1</sup> (34.75), female flower count (50.50), fruit length plant<sup>-1</sup> (24.75 cm), and fruit diameter (6.53 cm), and decreased male flower count (132.25) and days to first male (33.75) and female (36.25) flowering. The application of 50 % NPK and 50 % poultry manure increased individual fruit weight (274.50 g) and yield-attributing traits, such as fruit count (17.25), fruit yield (55.56 t ha<sup>-1</sup>), net return (7944$), and benefit-cost ratio (3.14). A synergistic blend of 50 % NPK and 50 % poultry manure can serve as a viable and effective nutrient source for promoting growth and maximizing bitter gourd yield. Although these results are promising, further validation and extension of these positive findings are required on a larger scale in diverse ecological regions.
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