Influence of Interaction between Fertilizer and Micronutrient Spray on Growth, Yield and Quality of Guava under Ultra High Density Orcharding System

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014) on a 5-year-old guava orchard of cv. Sardar was planted at a spacing of 1.0 m x 2.0 m in Ranchi. The objective of this investiation was to know the influence of interaction between the basal and foliar application of fertilizers of guava cv. Sardar under ultra-high-density planting system in eastern plateau and hill conditions. The experiments were set up in a split-plot design with four fertilizer doses 100%NPK i.e.580 g N, 270 g P, 400g K/plant; 60%NPK i.e. 348gN, 162gP, 240g K/plant; 40%NPK i.e. 232gN,180gP 160g K/plant; 20%NPK i.e.116gN 54gP 80g K/plant as main plots and four different foliar sprays as boric acid (0.4%), zinc sulphate (0.2%), boric acid (0.4%) + zinc sulphate (0.2%) and water spray as subplots with four replications. The NPK fertilizer dose was applied at an interval of every two months from June 12 to April 14 (A total of twelve times/ two year) in a 1m radius around the tree trunk (drip line of trees). The foliar application of micronutrients was sprayed at the rate of 750 ml/ tree at flowering and fruit set stage during June 12 and August 14 (Total of Four times/ two years). In our two-year study, the experimental results indicated that 60% NPK fertilizer dose resulted in maximum trunk girth (55.33 mm) and girth of primary branches (43.77mm), while, a maximum per cent increase in trunk girth (15.81%) and girth of primary branches (18.62%) were recorded in 100% NPK fertilizer dose. However the maximum number of flowers per plant (18.66), number of fruit per plant (17.10) and fruit weight/ plant (3.65kg/plant) were recorded in 100%NPK fertilizer dose, which was at par with 60% NPK Fertilizer dose.