Effect of Foliar Application of Micronutrients on Growth and Yield of Greengram (Vigna radiata L.)

Background: Greengram (Vigna radiata L.) is one of the most important pulse crops in India. It is a protein rich staple food which contains about 25 per cent protein; It belongs to family leguminaceae so it has the capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Soil application of nutrients is often not enough to meet the growing crop demand particularly in short duration crop like greengram. Therefore, it is hypothesized that foliar nutrition in addition to soil application in commensuration with prevailing weather particularly rainfall will go a long way in meeting crop nutrient need and thereby may help in enhancing poductivity. Foliar application of nutrients using water soluble fertilizer is on the possible ways to enhance the productivity of pulses like greengram. The importance of foliar application of micronutrients i.e., Zinc is essential for enzymes that are involved in many metabolic reactions, necessary for chlorophyll production and for starch formation aids in seed formation. Iron is essential for maintainance of chlorophyll and also an essential component of haemoglobin molecule. Manganese has a role of formation of plants naturally occurring antifungal compounds helping to fight disease infection. It is involved in the enzyme the growth may have biological reactions in plant tissue. Methods: A field experiment was conducted during Zaid season 2019-2020 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, (U.P.) India. To study the "Effect of foliar applied micronutrient on growth and yield of Greengram (Vigna radiata L.)". The present investigation was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) consisted of 9 treatments replicated thrice. Result: The results revealed that the maximum growth attributes such as plant height (42.42 cm), dry matter accumulation (113.39 g/m(2)) and crop growth rate (1.69 g/m(2)/day) was recorded with RDF + Fe 0.5% + Zn 0.5% + Mn 0.5% at 30 DAS, whereas maximum number of nodules/plant (11) was recorded with RDF+ Fe 0.5% at 30 DAS. However, higher yield and yield attributes i. e. Number of pods/plant (58.40), number of grains/pod (9.73), 1000 grain weight (38.38 g), seed yield (1384.33) kg/ha, stover yield (2253.33) kg/ha and harvest index (42.44 %) was recorded with RDF + Fe 0.5% + Zn 0.5% + Mn 0.5% at 30 DAS. Similarly, higher net returns (Rs 59912/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.51) was also recorded with RDF + Fe 0.5% + Zn 0.5% + Mn 0.5% at 30 DAS as compared to control (RDF + water spray).