EFFECT OF NUTRIENT SPRAY ON GROWTH AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF BRASSICA JUNCEA

Experiments were carried out in order to study the effect of Hi-foliar nutrient foliar spray on the growth profile and redox status of Brassica juncea, under field conditions. 0.3% of Hi-Foliar nutrient spray was applied in Brassica juncea plants at different stages of growth cycle i.e. 30 days after sowing (DAS), 45 DAS, 60 DAS and 30+ 45 DAS, 30+ 60 DAS, 45+ 60 DAS and 30+ 45+ 60 DAS to assess the changes in growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant status. Various growth and yield related parameters such as plant height stem diameter, pod number, number of leaves per plant and grain weight per plant and activities of nitrate reductase, photosynthesis were positively affected by nutrient spray. Application of nutrient spray also improved the redox status of the treated plants by increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase and decreasing content of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde. In majority of cases, a remarkable change occurred during 45 DAS (days after sowing) treatment. The changes in growth and antioxidant status were found to be closely related to the time of spray i. e. at proper growth stage.