Response of Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) to Applied Nitrogen with or without Ethrel Spray under Non-irrigated Conditions

Abstract

Field studies were conducted during the winter seasons of 1995-96 and 1996-97 at the Agricultural Farm of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India on mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss., var. Alankar) under non-irrigated conditions, to evaluate the effect of foliar spray of 200 p.p.m. ethrel (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid) at flowering growth stage along with basal 0, 40, 80 or 120 kg N ha -1 on net photosynthetic rate (P N ). stomatal conductance (C S ), stomatal resistance (R S ), leaf K content, relative water content (RWC). leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter (TDM) production monitored at 20 days after spray application, and plant N content. seed N content, nitrogen harvest index (NHI). nitrogen yield merit (NYM), pods plant -1 , 1000 seed weight, seed yield, biological yield, harvest index (HI). seed yield merit it (SYM) and merit of genotype (MOG) at harvest. Results indicated that, at 0 or 40 kg N ha 1 , ethrel did not produce any significance effect, but at basal 80 kg N ha -1 , ethrel affected the parameters favourably with the exception of 1000 seed weight, HI, seed N and NHI. Ethrel-sprayed plants utilized N from the soil more effectively and showed increased NYM. Yield attributes, seed yield and merit of genotype (in terms of NYM and SYM) were also enhanced. Ethrel spray enhanced seed yield under water stress conditions mainly by increasing K uptake and retaining higher RWC, thereby decreasing R S and increasing LAI. P N and TDM production.