Effect of Micronutrient Application on Growth, Yield and Quality of Urdbean (Vigna Mungo L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the summer 2019 at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.) to study the effect of micronutrient application on growth, yield and quality of Urdbean (Vigna mungo L.). The soil of the experimental field was well drained, sandy loam in texture, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus, potassium and slightly alkaline in reaction. The nine treatments of nutrient management viz., Control, foliar spray of water at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar spray of zinc sulphate (0.5%) at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar spray of ferrous sulphate (0.5%) at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar spray of copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar spray of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + ferrous sulphate (0.5%) at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar spray of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS, foliar application of ferrous sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS and foliar application of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + ferrous sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS were laid out in RBD with three replications. The variety PU-31 was sown and harvested on March 18 and June 16 (2019), respectively. Results revealed that the growth parameters and yield attributing characters of urd bean viz., plant height, branches/plant, trifoliate leaves/plant, dry matter accumulation/plant, pods/plant, grains/pod, test weight and grain yield/plant were significantly higher under foliar application of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + ferrous sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS over other treatments. Similarly, number of nodules/plant, dry weight of nodules/plant, protein content and yield, nutrient uptake (Zn, Fe and Cu) by seed and straw and nutrient status in soil after harvest of crop were also found maximum with the foliar application of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + ferrous sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS treatment. The study revealed that foliar application of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + ferrous sulphate (0.5%) + copper sulphate (0.1%) at 20 & 40 DAS in urdbean crop is advantageous for obtaining higher yield, net return, B:C ratio, nutrient uptake and available nutrient in soil after harvest was comparable superior to rest of the treatments.