Studies on the Effect of Biofortification through Micronutrients Fortified Organics on the Soil Properties, Yield and Quality of Brinjal in Coastal Soil

Abstract

Numerous multi-micronutrient fertilizers (MMF) have been developed during recent years to address the micronutrient deficiencies in crops but still micronutrient deficiency occurs in both soil and human beings. Biofortification is one of the techniques, which deliver the targeted element in edible part of the plants to overcome the malnutrition and hidden-hunger in burgeoning population. Based on the fact, the present field study was undertaken to study the effect of biofortification through micronutrients fortified organics on the performance of brinjal in coastal soil. The various treatments evaluated were T1 – Control (100% NPK/RDF alone), T2 – RDF + FYM @ 12.5 t ha-1, T3 – RDF + Vermicompost (VC) @ 12.5 t ha-1, T4 – RDF + FYM + ZnSO4 @ 25kg ha-1 + FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 SA (soil application), T5 – RDF + VC + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 SA, T6 – RDF + FYM + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + FeSO4 @ 0.5% FA (foliar application), T7 – RDF + VC + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + FeSO4 @ 0.5% FA, T8 - RDF + Zn + Fe Fortified FYM (MNFFYM)@ 6.25 t ha-1, T9-RDF + Zn + Fe Fortified VC (MNFVC) @ 6.25 t ha-1, T10 - RDF + MNFFYM @ 6.25 t ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + FeSO4 @ 0.5% FA and T11 - RDF + MNFVC @ 6.25t ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + FeSO4 @ 0.5% FA. The treatments were studied under Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications and using Annamalai brinjal as test crop. Among that treatments, combined application of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + micronutrients fortified vermicompost (MNFVC) @ 6.25 t ha-1 through soil application along with foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + FeSO4 @ 0.5% at pre flowering stage (PFS) and at flowering stage (FS) recorded the highest growth, yield characters, yield and quality of brinjal. This treatment also recorded the significant higher nutrients availability and nutrients uptake by brinjal in coastal soil.