Optimizing Cauliflower Yield and Farm Economics Through Organic and Inorganic Nutrient Management in the North‐Western Himalayan Agroecosystem

In the mid‐hill region of the North‐Western Himalayas, smallholder rainfed farmers face challenges like declining soil fertility and climate change, threatening food security in this ecologically sensitive zone limiting. While integrated nutrient management (INM) is recognized to improve soil health and crop productivity, evidence specific to cauliflower under these agro‐climatic conditions is limited. To address this, a 2‐year field experiment was conducted using an RBD with nine treatments, each replicated three times: T 1 ‐control (No fertilization), T 2 ‐100% FYM, T 3 ‐100%N, T 4 ‐100%NP, T 5 ‐100%NK, T 6 ‐100%PK, T 7 ‐100%NPK, T 8 ‐100%NPK + FYM, and T 9 ‐150%NPK + FYM. The study evaluated soil nutrient availability, health indicators, and cauliflower productivity. Treatment‐T 9 recorded the highest soil organic carbon (15.7 g kg −1 ), available N (301.5 kg ha −1 ), P (128.1 kg ha −1 ), K (544.65 kg ha −1 ), Ca (12.5 kg ha −1 ), Mg (3.96 kg ha −1 ), and SO 4 2− ‐S (44.6 kg ha −1 ). However, T 8 achieved the best yield parameter—net curd weight (679.6 g) and marketable yield (25.2 t ha −1 ). Economically, T 8 also outperformed other treatments, offering a 10% higher net return and a benefit‐cost ratio of 2.82 compared to T 9 , making it recommended practice for sustainable cauliflower cultivation in this region. These findings underscore the effectiveness of balanced fertilization through INM, particularly the combination of 100%NPK + FYM, as a sustainable and economically viable strategy for improving soil fertility and productivity in cauliflower‐based systems in the Himalayan mid‐hills.