Effect of Foliar Spray of Micronutrients on Growth, Yield and Quality of China Aster

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to study the efficacy of foliar spray of micronutrients on growth, flowering parameter, yield, and quality of China aster during October 2022 to March 2023 at Floriculture Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology & Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.). The experiment was designed with eleven treatment combinations, including ZnSO4, FeSO4, CuSO4, and MgSO4, along with their interaction effects at concentrations of 0.2% and 0.4% using the foliar spraying method, alongside a control group. The experimental results revealed that the treatment T11 (ZnSO4 @0.4% + FeSO4 @0.4% + CuSO4 @0.4% + MgSO4 @0.4%) found best in terms of growth, yield and quality parameters of China aster, followed by treatment T10 (ZnSO4 @0.2% + FeSO4 @0.2% + CuSO4 @0.2% + MgSO4 @0.2%). Whereas treatment T5 (FeSO4 @0.4%) found the best results in terms of days to first flower bud initiation, days from flower bud initiation to anthesis, and days to 50% flowering. In terms of the economics of the different treatments, the maximum gross return, net return, and benefit- cost ratio were found in T11, followed by T10, while the minimum was recorded in treatment T1 (Control).