EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON SOIL FERTILITY AND CABBAGE YIELD IN KARNALI PROVINCE

This study assessed the impact of various organic amendments on soil fertility and cabbage yield in Bheriganga Municipality, Surkhet, Karnali Province, Nepal. Despite being declared an organic province, Karnali still lacks adequate adoption of organic farming due to infrastructural and technological limitations. A field experiment was conducted in winter 2024 using a randomized complete block design with five treatments: farmyard manure, Vermicompost, poultry manure, goat manure, and a control (no amendment). The soil at the experimental site was initially low in fertility, characterized by poor organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and micronutrient levels. Results indicated that organic amendments significantly enhanced soil nutrient status and improved cabbage growth and yield. Poultry manure produced the tallest plants (29.93 cm), the highest number of leaves per head (18.83), and the heaviest heads (1.32 kg), followed by Vermicompost. All organic treatments performed better than the control, but poultry manure and Vermicompost showed the most promising outcomes. These findings demonstrate that organic inputs, particularly poultry manure, and Vermicompost, can be effective alternatives to synthetic fertilizers in improving soil health and crop productivity. The study supports the potential for sustainable vegetable production and the promotion of organic agriculture in Karnali Province