Abstract
Integrated soil nitrogen and foliar application of trace elements could increase crop growth and yield and decrease environmental pollution. In order to explore the impact of soil applied nitrogen and foliar applied micronutrients on safflower growth and yield, a field experiment was conducted at Soil Chemistry Section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam, during Rabi season in 2016-17.Seven treatments and three replicates were used for each treatment. T1 (control), T2, T3 and T4, T5, T6 and T7 = 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1 (soil) + 1250 ml and 2000 ml ha-1 (foliar) were used respectively. The present study revealed that the crop was treated with N @ 150 kg ha-1 (soil) + Gillette (Micronutrients mixture) @ 2000 ml ha-1 (foliar) produced maximum plant population (42.2 m-2), plant height (126.2 cm), branches plant-1 (11.0), seeds capitulum-1 (42.9), seed index (1000 seed weight, 44.0 g) and seed yield (2400 kg ha-1) as compared to N @ 100 kg ha-1 (soil) + Gillette(Micronutrients mixture) @ 2000 ml ha-1 (Foliar) which was recorded plant population (41.1 m-2), plant height (124.8 cm), branches plant-1 (10.0), seeds capitulum-1 (41.9), seed index (43.0 g), and seed yield (2350 kg ha-1). While the lowest results for all parameters were recorded in control. It is obvious from the results that N @ 100 kg ha-1 (soil) + Gillette (Micronutrients mixture) @ 2000 ml ha-1 (Foliar) recorded optimum results due to medium dose of nitrogen and non-significant differences (LSD@5%) with T7 and T4 where highest dose of nitrogen was applied. Keywords: Foliar application; Growth; Micronutrients mixture; Safflower http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80166
Highlights
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an oilseed crop in the asteraceae plant family and believed as one of the oldest cultivated crops [1]
It is generally known that N is essential nutrient for all the crops growth and production including safflower [6]
In the case of their deficiency crop growth and yield inhibited [11, 12]. Boron is another nonmetal micronutrient essential required for proper plant growth and seed development [13] and B availability decreases with increasing soil pH, it is often inadequately available in calcareous soils [14]
Summary
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an oilseed crop in the asteraceae plant family and believed as one of the oldest cultivated crops [1]. Higher levels of nitrogen application could lead N loss in the form of ammonia (NH4), leach down to make ground water contaminated and economic loss of grower For such reasons, the reduced doses of N fertilizer with the application of bio-fertilizers can decrease the need of synthetic fertilizers and contribute to reduce the negative effects, improve soil fertility, soil properties and augment crop yield. [18] applied micronutrients in spray form along with cropping system in safflower in Iran They revealed that foliar application of micronutrients (Zn and Mn) significantly increases number of seeds per head, number of heads per plant, 1000 seed weight, seed yield and biological yield. Keeping the above views in mind, we hypothesize that, integrated soil nitrogen and foliar application of trace elements will increase crop growth and yield and decrease environmental pollution [19]. The following parameters were recorded; Plant population (m-2), Plant height (cm), Branches plant-1, Capitula plant-1, Seeds Capitulum-1, Seed weight plant-1 (g), Seed index (1000- seed weight, g) and Seed yield (kg ha-1)
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