Interactive Effect of Nitrogen, Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe) on the Growth and yield Characteristics of Gobhi Sarson (Brassica napus L.)

Abstract

Brassica napus L., commonly known as Gobhi Sarson in India, is a vital oilseed crop contributing significantly to the agricultural economy. India stands as the fourth-largest producer of oilseeds, with mustard-rapeseed, including Brassica napus, constituting about 28.6% of the total oilseed production [1]. The experiment titled "Study on Foliar Application of Nitrogen, Zinc (Zn), and Iron (Fe) on the Growth and Yield Characteristics of Gobhi Sarson (Brassica napus L.)" was conducted at the research farm of Lovely Professional University, Punjab, during the Rabi season of 2023-24. A total of nine treatments with three replications were evaluated using a Randomized Block Design. The findings indicate that Treatment 9 (75%RDF + 1% Urea + 0.5% FeSO4 + 0.5% ZnSO4) demonstrated the highest plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area, primary and secondary branches per plant, number of siliquae per plant, seeds per siliquae, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, biological yield, and oil content. Treatment 5 (50%RDF + 1% Urea + 0.5% FeSO4 + 0.5% ZnSO4) also performed well across these parameters, albeit to a slightly lesser extent. (T9) recorded the highest seed yield (19.7 q ha-1), significantly outperforming all other treatments, with Treatment 5 being statistically comparable. Moreover, Treatment 9 exhibited the maximum oil content (41.2%), followed closely by Treatment 5 with oil content of 40.6%. Conversely, the control treatment (T1) yielded the lowest oil content. These results underscore the efficacy of foliar application of 75% RDF with 1% Urea, 0.5% FeSO4, and 0.5% ZnSO4 in enhancing the growth and yield characteristics of Gobhi Sarson, with Treatment 5 showing similar trends.