Effect of Foliar Applications of Micronutrients on the Yield Characteristics of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

Abstract

Cauliflower, a member of the Brassicaceae family, is an important vegetable crop with specific cultivation requirements (Campanelli & Canali, 2012). Cauliflower is a heavy feeder crop, balanced fertilization is very important for better productivity. Due to the intensive cultivation and judicious use of only nitrogenous fertilizers, soils are become deficit in secondary and micronutrients (Ali et al., 2008). Keeping in view above facts an experiment was carried out over two consecutive winter seasons, 2018-19 and 2019-20, at the Agricultural Research farm (25018' North latitude and 83003' E) of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The aim was to assess the impact of foliar micronutrient application on the yield attributes of cauliflower. The study involved sixteen foliar micronutrient treatments. These treatments were: T1 (Control), T2 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.20%), T3 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.30%), T4 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.40%), T5 (Boron @ 0.060%), T6 (Boron @ 0.080%), T7 (Boron @ 0.100%), T8 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.20% + Boron @ 0.060%), T9 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.20% + Boron @ 0.080%), T10 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.20% + Boron @ 0.10%), T11 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.30% + Boron @ 0.060%), T12 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.30% + Boron @ 0.080%), T13 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.30% + Boron @ 0.10%), T14 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.40% + Boron @ 0.060%), T15 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.40% + Boron @ 0.080%), and T16 (Ammonium Molybdate (Mo) @ 0.40% + Boron @ 0.100%). These were replicated three times using a Randomized Block Design. A recommended basal dose of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (160:80:120 kg ha-1) was applied using urea, SSP, and MOP, respectively, in both years. Nitrogen was applied 50% as a basal dose and the rest at 40 days after transplanting (DAT). The total rainfall during the crop growth period was 29.4 mm in 2018-19 and 93.9 mm in 2019-20. The Snowball-16 variety of cauliflower was used as the test crop. Chelated zinc at a concentration of 0.5 g l-1 was applied to all treatments, while boron and molybdenum were applied according to the specific treatment. Other crop management practices were followed as per local recommendations. The data showed that the time taken for 50% curd initiation and 50% curd maturity was shorter, while the curd volume (577.33 cm3) and curd diameter (18.33 cm) in cauliflower were significantly larger when Ammonium Molybdate at 0.40% was applied along with boron at 0.10% (T16). This outcome was statistically comparable to the application of Ammonium Molybdate at 0.30% with boron at 0.10% (T13) and Ammonium Molybdate at 0.20% with boron at 0.10% (T10), surpassing other treatments in both individual years and in the combined analysis.