Effect of Foliar Application of Macro and Micronutrients on Quality Seedlings Production in Small Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to assess the effect of foliar nutrition with macro and micronutrients on quality seedlings production in small cardamom seedlings in the secondary nursery at ZAHRS, Mudigere with seven treatments and three replications in Completely Randomized Design during the year 2020-21. The results of study revealed that, among the different treatments studied, combined application of macro and micro nutrients (19:19:19 @ 0.50%+ MgSO4 @ 0.25%+ ZnSO4 @ 0.25 %+ Borax @ 0.25 %) thrice at monthly intervals after 30 days of transplanting in the secondary nursery recorded significantly maximum pseudostem height (56.07 cm), number of leaves (7.26), leaf area (646.90 cm2), leaf area index (5.24), total chlorophyll content (1.68), number of primary (13.66) and secondary roots (76.85), root length (41.40), root thickness (1.58), root volume (17.88 cc), total dry matter production (5.61 g), tillering percentage (25.43), Dickson quality index (1.56) and volume index (259.87) at 120 days after treatment. The nutrient status of the nursery media revealed that, the available nitrogen (318.00 kg/ha), phosphorus (27.50 kg/ha) and potash (230.00 kg/ha). The analysis of plant nutrients at 120 days after treatment revealed that, the higher nitrogen (2.72 %), phosphorus (0.20 %) and potassium (3.90 %) were also recorded maximum with combined spray with macro and micronutrients. Hence, combined application of foliar nutrients proved to be the best application than either single spray or combination of two and uninoculated for raising quality seedlings in cardamom.