LAUSR

Abstract An experiment was conducted to substitute mineral fertilizers with biofertilizers in strawberry to work out the yield, quality of strawberry and soil fertility. A 25% substitution of mineral fertilizer with biofertilizer increased the number of fruits/plant along with improving Juice content (89.55%), Total soluble solids (10.35°B), total sugar (6.69%), ascorbic acid (43.80 mg 100 g−1), anthocyanin content (81.05 mg 100 g−1), total phenol (5.97 mg Gallic acid equiv. g−1), flavonoids (0.12 mg g−1) and antioxidant capacity (2.13 µmol. Trolox equiv. 100 g−1). The available N and K content in post-harvest soils were improved significantly with 75% RDF + Azospirillium @ 2 g plant−1 + PSB @ 2 g plant−1 + topdressing of 25% K treatments (200.10 and 211.70 kg ha−1, respectively). Viable count of soil microorganisms (Bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi) was also estimated maximum (4066, 190 and 11.33 × 104 cfu g−1 dry soil, respectively) with substitution of 25% of mineral fertilizer either with Azotobacter or Azospirillum.