The study conducted at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, during the Rabi season of 2022-2023, focuses on assessing the economic feasibility and sustainable productivity of seedling bio-priming coupled with reduced inorganic fertilizer doses for high-value vegetable crops. Utilizing Trichoderma harzianum (TH) and Bacillus subtilis (BS) in seedling bio-priming, the experiment examined three crops under varied mineral fertilizer conditions. Results indicate that employing microbial consortia in high-value vegetable cultivation is economically viable for smallholder farmers, with a high cost-benefit ratio. The combination of T. harzianum + B. subtilis along with 75% recommended dose of NPK fertilizer emerged as the most effective treatment for enhancing productivity. In conclusion, incorporating efficient microbes will reduce the dependence on chemical fertilizers, promoting sustainable production, and ensuring the technical and economic viability of high-value vegetable cultivation for smallholder farmers.

Highlights

• Evaluation of gross return, net return, and the B: C ratio is presented for three high-value vegetables crops.
• Assessment of the effect of biopriming intervention on the cultivation of high-value vegetable crops, emphasizing its potential influence on farm profitability.
• Diversification by small farmers toward high-value vegetable crops, viz., broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and capsicum that can raise farm incomes.