J. Agric. Res. Technol.

, 39 (1) : 011-015 (2014)

Effect of Different Foliar Spray of Nutrients on Growth, Yield

and Quality of Summer Green Gram

M. M. Godase1, S. B. Deshmukh2, P. U. Raundal3, N. T. Kunjir4 and D. W. Thawal5

Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Pune - 411 005 (India)
(Received : 30-10-2012)

Abstract
The growth attributing characters like plant height, number of leaves, number of branches plant-1, dry
matter plant-1 and leaf area increased significantly due to application of foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea +
1.5 per cent DAP before flowering over other treatments. However, it was on par with foliar spray of 1 per
cent urea + 1 per cent DAP before flowering. Total flower drop plan-1 was significantly lowest in foliar spray
1 per cent urea + 1 per cent DAP before flowering over other treatments. Yield contributing characters viz.,
number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, test weight (g), grain (16.55 q ha-1) and straw yield (32.75
q ha-1) was increased significantly due to application of foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea + 1.5 per cent DAP
before flowering over other treatments. However, it was on par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea + 1 per
cent DAP before flowering.

Key words : Foliar spray, nutrients, yield, greengram.

Nutrients play a pivotal role in increasing the sprays. The nutrients enter in the cells by
seed yield in pulses. Foliar application of major penetrating the cuticle of the leaf through
plant nutrients like nitrogen and potassium was stomata. When problems of excessive leaching
found to be as good as soil application of nutrients exist, foliar application constitutes
(Subramanian and Palaniappan, 1981). the most effective means of fertilizer
According to Kalita et al., (l994), application. This practice may be useful to early
supplementing urea at the reproductive stage maturing crops under rainfed conditions where
significantly enhanced the seed yield by moisture is limiting factor. Inorganic phosphatic
delaying leaf senescence in mungbean. fertilizers when added to soil undergo various
Application of fertilizers to soil and due to reactions with soil constituents rendering some
formation of certain soil complexes the uptake of the added phosphate unavailable to plants.
of necessary elements becomes difficult for the Foliar applications of nutrients using water
plants. The applied fertilizers are not fully soluble fertilizer is one of the possible way to
utilized by the plants. In order to avoid or avoid such loss of phosphatic fertilizer
eliminate these situations foliar application of (Pandrangi et al., 1991).
nutrients is important. (Velu and Srinivasan,
1984). Materials and Methods
The field experiment was laid out in a
It is now well established fact that plants can
randomized block design with three replications
utilize water soluble nutrients through their
in summer, 2011. There were 8 treatment
foliage, when applied in the form of foliar combinations formed with foliar spray of
1. M.Sc. (Agri.) student, 2., 3., 4. Asstt. Professors and fertilizers on summer greengram. The
5. Professor of Agronomy. treatments were absolute control, water spray,
12 Godase et al.

1 and 1.5 per cent urea spray, 1 and 1.5 per Branches plant-1 : The highest number of
cent DAP spray, 1 per cent urea and DAP branches plant-1 were observed due to foliar
spray, 1.5 per cent urea and DAP spray. The spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before
foliar spray of nutrients were applied just before flowering and it was on par with foliar spray of
flowering at 42 DAS. The RDF-25:50:0 N:P:K 1 per cent urea and DAP before flowering. The
kg ha-1 was applied uniformly to all treatments lowest number of branches plant-1 was
at the time of sowing. recorded in absolute control. Rest of treatments
The soil of experimental field was clayey in were on par with each other. The increase in
texture, neutral in reaction (pH 7.3) with low number of branches plant-1 might be due to
available nitrogen (211.33 kg ha-1), slightly foliar application of nitrogen and phosphorus.
high available phosphorus (27.58 kg ha-1), high Nitrogen plays an important role in vegetative
available potassium (516.24 kg ha-1) and low in growth of plant. Verma et al. (2011) also
organic carbon (0.48 per cent). The greengram observed the same results.
crop was sown on 28th February, 2011 with
Dry matter : The highest dry matter
spacing of 30 x 10 cm.
plant-1 was observed due to foliar spray of 1.5
Results and Discussion per cent urea and DAP before flowering and it
was on par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea
Plant height : The highest plant height
and DAP before flowering. The lowest dry
(72.07 cm) was observed at harvest (Table 1)
matter plant-1 was recorded in absolute control.
due to foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea and
Rest of treatments were on par with each other.
DAP before flowering and it was on par with
foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and DAP before The increase in total dry matter production
flowering (70.93 cm). The lowest plant height plant-1 may be ascribed to beneficial effect of
was recorded in absolute control (63 cm). The foliar application of nitrogen and phosphorus
plant height was increased due to proper on growth of plant. The sufficient amount of
application of nitrogen through foliar spray and nitrogen accumulation in plant is essential for
adequate moisture supply through irrigations at dry matter accumulation. The results are in
8-10 days interval. Similar results were close conformity to Chandrasekhar and
observed by Patel and Patel (1994) and Verma Bangarusamy (2003), Selvi et al. (2004).
et al. (2011).
Leaf area plant-1 : The highest leaf area
Leaves plant-1 : The highest number of plant-1 was observed due to foliar spray of 1.5
leaves plant-1 were due to foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before flowering and it
per cent urea and DAP before flowering and it was on par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea
was on par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and DAP before flowering. The lowest leaf area
and DAP before flowering. The lowest number plant-1 was recorded in absolute control
of leaves plant-1 were recorded in absolute treatment. Rest of the treatments were on par
control treatment. Rest of the treatments were with each other. The increase in leaf area may
on par with each other. Nitrogen plays an be due to the promotive effect of foliar
important vital role in vegetative growth of the application of N in leaf growth and in turn on
plant. The increase in number of leaves may be leaf area (Kalita et al., 1994). Application of
due to the promotive effect of foliar application higher quantity of nitrogen has favoured rapid
of N in leaf growth. These resalts are in close growth and enlargement of tissues resulting
conformity to findings of Verma et al. (2011). higher leaf area. Similar results were observed
 Journal of Agriculture Research and Technology 13

by Srithara et al. (2005) and Mondal et al. flowering (20.31). However, the highest
(2011). number of flower dropped plant-1 was observed
in absolute control (23.16). Foliar application of
Days to 50 per cent flowering : The 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before flowering
highest number of days required to 50 per cent reduced flower drop by preventing abscission
flowering was recorded in treatment consisting layer formation, which is responsible for flower
foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP drop. Similar results were observed by
before flowering (48.33) and it was on par with Ganapathy et al., (2008).
foliar spray of 1 per cent (47.67) and 1.5 per
cent urea (48) and 1 per cent urea and DAP Pods plant-1 : The mean number of pods
(48) before flowering. The mean number of plant-1 were 22.22 and it was significantly
days required to 50 per cent flowering were influenced by different foliar spray of nutrients.
significantly lowest in treatments of absolute The foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP
control (46) and water spray (46).The nitrogen before flowering recorded the highest number
increased the vegetative growth and delayed of pods plant-1 (24.73) and it was on par with
the reproductive growth of crop, so foliar spray foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and DAP before
of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before flowering flowering (24.57). The lowest number of pods
required more number of days to 50 per cent plant-1 were recorded in absolute control
flowering. (20.03).

Total flower drop plant-1 : The total The increase in pod yield was due to more
number of flowers dropped plant-1 (Table 2) nutrient supply to crop through foliar spray of
was significantly influenced by different foliar 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before flowering.
spray of nutrients. The mean total number of This might have caused more number of pods
flower dropped plant-1 was 21.62. The foliar and efficient translocation of photosynthates
spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP before from source to sink (Kuttimani and Velayutham,
flowering recorded the lowest number of flower 2011). The results are in close conformity to
dropped plant-1 (19.32) and it was on par with Patel and Patel (1994), Sarkar and Pal (2006),
foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and DAP before Mondal et al. (2011) and Verma et al. (2011).
Table 1. Effect of different foliar sprays on yield and its components in summer green gram.

Treatment Plant Leaves Bran- Dry Leaf Days to Flower Pods Seeds Test Seed Straw
height plant-1 ches matter area 50% drop plant-1 pod-1 weight yield yield
(cm) plant-1 plant-1 plant-1 flowe- plant-1 (g) (q (q
(g) (dm2) ring ha-1) ha-1)

Absolute control 63.00 32.73 6.27 15.27 8.10 46.00 23.16 20.03 8.43 39.77 11.25 25.28
Water spray 64.50 33.10 6.53 15.60 8.11 46.00 22.94 20.17 8.47 40.50 11.53 25.99
1% urea 67.53 35.80 6.47 16.30 8.28 47.67 22.21 21.27 8.53 41.33 12.64 26.34
1.5% urea 68.80 36.27 6.60 17.97 8.48 48.00 21.33 22.73 9.20 41.63 13.31 27.06
1% DAP 66.13 36.20 6.73 16.60 8.40 47.00 22.11 21.87 9.07 41.20 13.10 26.70
1.5% DAP 68.30 36.50 6.73 19.63 8.51 47.33 21.60 22.37 9.8 41.43 13.42 28.12
1% urea and DAP 70.93 37.80 7.13 21.87 9.07 48.00 20.31 24.57 10.27 42.33 15.70 30.97
1.5% urea and DAP 72.07 38.80 7.47 22.73 9.25 48.33 19.32 24.73 10.37 43.37 16.55 32.75
Mean 67.66 35.91 6.74 18.25 8.53 47.29 21.62 22.22 9.27 41.45 13.52 27.90
S.E.± 0.97 0.71 0.13 0.48 0.15 0.31 0.36 0.27 0.17 0.38 0.31 0.89
C. D. at 5 % 2.94 2.14 0.40 1.46 0.45 0.94 1.09 0.82 0.52 1.15 0.95 2.67
14 Godase et al.

Seeds pod-1 : The mean number of seeds Bangarusamy (2003) and Verma et al. (2011).
pod-1 were 9.27. This trait was significantly
influenced by different foliar spray of nutrients. Straw yield : The mean straw yield was
The foliar spray of 1.5 per cent urea and DAP 27.90 q ha-1. The straw yield plant-1 was
before flowering recorded the highest number significantly influenced by different foliar spray
of seeds pod-1 (10.37) and it was at par with of nutrients. The foliar spray of 1.5 per cent
foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and DAP before urea and DAP before flowering recorded the
flowering (10.27). The lowest number of seeds highest straw yield (32.75 q ha-1) and it was on
pod-1 was recorded in absolute control (8.43). par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and
DAP before flowering (30.97 q ha-1). The
Test weight : The foliar spray of 1.5 per
lowest straw yield ha-1 was recorded in absolute
cent urea and DAP before flowering recorded
control (25.28 q ha-1). The increase in straw
the highest test weight (43.37 g) and it was on
yield might be due to increase in growth
par with foliar spray of 1 per cent urea and
contributing characters like number of leaves,
DAP before flowering (42.33 g). The lowest
leaf area, dry matter etc. The nitrogen
test weight was recorded in absolute control
(39:77 g). The size of seeds might be increased accumulation in sufficient amount in plant is
due to the foliar application of proper quantity essential for dry matter accumulation. There
of nitrogen. The finding confirms the results of was increase in straw yield ha-1 which was due
Patel and Patel (1 994), Kalita et al. (1995) and to increase in total dry matter production
Verma et al. (2011). plant-1. The research finding confirms the
results of Patel and Patel (1994), Dixit and
Seed yield : The mean seed yield was Elamathi (2007), Kuttimani and Velayutham
13.52 q ha-1. The seed yield ha-1 was (2011) and Verma et al. (211).
significantly influenced by different foliar spray
of nutrients. The foliar spray of 1.5 per cent References
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______________

J. Agric. Res. Technol., 39 (1) : 015-020 (2014)

Effect of Micronutrients and Silicon on Growth and Yield of

Papaya cv. Red lady

S. Manjunatha1, G. S. K. Swamy2, N. B. Prakash3, R. C. Jagadeesha4, Mukesh Chavan5 and

K. S. Shankarappa6
K. R. C. College of Horticulture, Arabhavi - 591 218 (India)
(Received : 31-12-2012)

Abstract
Among the different levels of micronutrients, application of ZnSO4 (0.25%) + Borax (0.1%) + FeSO4
(0.5%) recorded maximum plant height (205.47 cm), stem diameter (113.59 mm), number of leaves (40.41
leaves-1 plant), petiole length (71.71 cm), plant spread (201.57 cm North-South and 198.70 cm East-West),
reproductive parameters (53.13 flowers and 22.30 fruits plant-1) and fruit yield (38.57 kg plant-1). Among
the micronutrient combinations, application of ZnSO4 (0.25%) + Borax (0.1%) + FeSO4 (0.5%) followed by
ZnSO4 (0.25%) + Borax (0.1%) and soluble Silicic acid at 5 ml L-1 were best treatment combinations with
respect to vegetative and reproductive parameters.

Key word : Papaya, micronutrient,silica.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the produce fruits throughout the year has added to
commercially important fruit crops of the gain popularity and commercial importance.
tropics and is often considered as common Besides this, papaya is a wholesome fruit with
man's fruit. The high productivity and ability to high nutritive value and therapeutic value. It is
rich in carotene, vitamin 'C' and minerals such
1. M.Sc. (Hort.) student, 2., 4. Professor and Head, 3.,
5. Asso. Professors and 6. Asstt. Professor. as calcium, phosphorus and iron (Chadha,