Seed treatment and foliar nutrition for enhanced productivity of blackgram (vigna mungo L)

Abstract

A field experiment on “Seed treatment and foliar nutrition for enhanced productivity of blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)”wasconducted during Rabi 2018 at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani with an objective to evaluate the effect of different seed treatments and foliar nutrition on the growth and yield of blackgram and also to work out the economics of production. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with six levels of seed treatments and two levels of nutrient schedule in three replications. The levels of seed treatment were s0 – without seed treatment, s1 – seed treatment with borax @ 1g kg-1 seed, s2 – seed treatment with borax @ 2 g kg-1 seed, s3 – seed treatment with sodium molybdate @ 1 g kg-1 seed, s4 – seed treatment with sodium molybdate @ 1.5 g kg-1 seed and s5 – seed treatment with borax and sodium molybdate @ 1 g kg-1 seed each. Two levels of nutrient schedule were n1- ½ N + full P + full K as basal application + ½ N as foliar spray of urea at 15 and 35 DAS and n2- ½ N + full P + ½ K as basal application + ½ N and ½ K as foliar spray of 13:0:45 at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS. Among the seed treatments, s5 produced the tallest plants, higher number of leaves and branches per plant at harvest and also registered maximum LAI at 60 DAS. Between the nutrient schedules n1 recorded the tallest plants at 40 DAS and maximum branches number per plant at harvest, while n2 registered maximum leaves number per plant at harvest and LAI at 60 DAS. Maximum nodules number, effective nodules and nodules weight per plant was recorded with s3 and n2 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS. Seed treatment and nutrient schedule also had significant influence on root parameters with the highest root spread and root weight observed with s2 and n1. The yield characters viz., number of pods per plant, pod length, 100 seed weight, grain yield and harvest index were favorably influenced by s5. However, the highest number of seeds per pod and yield of pod were registered with s1. The treatment s5 registered the highest yield of grain of 1005 kg ha-1 and was statistically comparable with s1, while s3 registered the highest yield of haulm of 1854 kg ha-1, which was statistically comparable with s2. Between the nutrient schedules, n2 recorded the highest 100 seed weight, yield of grain and yield of haulm (872 and 1750 kg ha-1). Interaction effects also significantly influenced yield parameters and yield. The treatment combination s5n2 recorded the highest pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, pod yield and grain yield. With regard to haulm yield, s3n2 recorded highest value of 1899 kg ha-1. The results also showed favorable increase in dry matter production with seed treatment, nutrient schedule and interaction effect, and the highest DMP (2933 kg ha-1) was obtained with s5n2. Seed treatment and interaction effects also significantly influenced protein content. The highest protein content of 22.28 per cent was recorded with s5 and it was statistically comparable with s2. Among the interaction effects, the treatment combination s5n2 recorded maximum protein content of 22.75 per cent. Increased N and P uptake were recorded with s5 and the treatment combination s5n2. The highest boron uptake was recorded with s2 and it was at par with s1. Net income and B: C ratio were maximum in plots treated with s5 and n2. The highest net returns of ₹ 21,914 ha-1 and B: C ratio of 1.48 were recorded with treatment combination s5n2. The results revealed that, in blackgram, seed treatment with borax and sodium molybdate @ 1g kg-1 seed each and scheduling nutrient application at 20: 30: 30 kg NPK ha-1 as ½ N + full P + ½ K as basal followed by ½ N and ½ K as foliar spray of 13:0:45 at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS could be suggested for realizing higher yield and net returns.