efficiency of pulses like number of flowers formed, number of flowers shed, flower ... flowing and flowering stage was seen on reduction in flower shed and flower ...
Legume Res., 31 (2) : 142 - 144, 2008
EFFECT OF FOLIAR NUTRITION ON REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY AND GRAIN YIELD OF RICE FALLOW PULSES M. Ganapathy, G. Baradhan and N. Ramesh Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, India
Abstract Field experiments were conducted during rabi season of 2000 and 2001 to study the effect of various nutrient management practices on growth and yield of rice fallow pulses. Reproductive efficiency of pulses like number of flowers formed, number of flowers shed, flower drop percent number of pods formed and fruit set percent were significantly influenced by various foliar spray treatments. The pre-eminent effect of foliar application of nutrients and growth regulator at pre flowing and flowering stage was seen on reduction in flower shed and flower drop percentage. Foliar application of DAP 2 percent + NAA 40 ppm + ZnSO4 0.5percent + FeSO4 1 percent twice (Pre flowering + Flowering) + soil inoculation of phosphobacteria recorded significantly highest reproductive efficiency and grain yield of rice fallow pulses during both the years.
INTRODUCTION Physiological problem like flower drop and premature shedding of reproductive structure diminishes the number of potential sinks (or) accumulation of assimilates (Writer, 1986) which seems to be associated with nutrient deficiency and hormonal imbalance and ultimately with the reduced translocation of dry matter to reproductive parts. The poor production potential of pulses is attributed to poor photosynthate of pods and seed setting, which may be improved through foliar application of macro and micronutrients and growth regulators. Consequently application of nutrients elements through foliar spray at appropriate stages of growth become important for their efficient utilization and better performance of the crop (Selim, 1992). It has been well established that the fertilizer elements which are absorbed through roots can also be absorbed with equal efficiency through foliage (Garcia and Hanway, 1986). Foliar application has been found to be favourable in short duration crops where the soil applied fertilizer may not become fully available before maturity of crop. Keeping these points in view, the present study was taken up to find out the suitable pulse crop for the rice fallow of Cauvery delta area with various nutrient
management practices to increase the productivity. MATERIAL AND METHODS The field experiments were conducted at Experimental Farm, Faculty of agriculture Annamalai University during rabi season of 2000 and 2001 in Cauvery delta area tract under rice fallow condition. The soil of the experimental field was sandy clay loam classified as low in available N and medium in available P and K contents with neutral reaction. The treatments consisted of two crops (M1: Blackgram, M2: Greengram) as main plot treatments and foliar application of nutrients twice (Preflowering and flowering) and their combination formed sub plots (S1-Control, S2- DAP 2 percent, S3-KCl 1 percent, S4-DAP 2 percent + KCl 1 percent, S5DAP 2percent + NAA 40 ppm, S6-KCl 1 percent + NAA 40 ppm, S7 – S5 + ZnSO4 0.5percent + FeSo4 1 percent, S8-S7 + ZnSO4 0.5percent + FeSo4 1 percent, S9 – Soil inoculation of phophobacteria and silicate solubilizing bacteria @ 2 kg ha-1 each + S7, S10- soil inoculation of phosphobacteria and silicate solubilizing bacteria @ 2 kg ha-1 each + S8 and comparison with control was done. The treatments were evaluated in split plot design replicated thrice. Seeds were sown by dibbling immediately after the harvest of rice. For foliar spraying 500 liters
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of spray fluid was applied with knapsack sprayer Reproductive efficiency of pulses like and observations viz., growth characters, yield number of flowers formed, number of flowers attributes, biochemical characters, nodulation, shed, flower drop and fruit drop percentage were yield of seed and haulm were recorded. significantly influenced by various foliar spray treatments. The predominant effect of foliar RESULTS AND DISCUSSION application of nutrients and growth regulator at The black gram being a high drought pre flowering and flowering stage was seen on tolerant recorded minimum flower drop (46.77 reduction in flower shed and flower drop and 38.61 per cent during 2000 and 2001, percentage. Among the different treatments respectively) which was significantly lower than tested, the treatment with foliar application of the flower drop in green gram (48.35 and 40.64 DAP 2percent + NAA 40ppm + micronutrients per cent during 2000 and 2001, respectively). significantly increased the total number of flowers Similarlythecropsdifferedsignificantlyinnumber formed per plant(48.94 and 49.17 during the of pods formed and fruit set percentage. Though respective years), while the same decreased the there was non significant result in flower number of flower shed(18.56 and 16.47 formation between black gram (44.60) and green respectively) and flower drop percentage(37.92 gram (44.73).The number of pods formed were and 33.50 respectively) compared to control 23.74 and 22.78 during 2000 and 2001 which resulted in significant increase in number respectively and fruit set percentage was 53.23 of pods formed (30.38 and 32.80 during the and 61.39 during 2000 and 2001 respectively respective years), percentage of fruit set (62.07 were significantly higher in black gram which was and 66.72 respectively) and grain yield (705 and attributed to reduction in flower shed in black 720 kg ha-1 respectively). The increase in seed gram and ultimately gave significantly higher grain yieldofpulseswithfoliarapplicationofnutrients yield than the green gram, being 525 and 560 could be attributed to reduced flower drop and kg ha-1 during the respective years and higher by increasedfruitsetpercentage.Similarresultswere reported by Lakshmamma and Subba Rao 2.5 and 5.7 per cent respectively (Table 1). Table 1. Effect of foliar nutrition on reproductive efficiency and grain yield of rice fallow pulses Treatment
Number of flowers formed 2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
M1 M2 CD 5% S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 CD 5%
44.60 44.73 0.44 39.92 41.90 41.83 43.43 45.03 45.35 47.61 47.41 48.94 48.23 0.38
45.25 44.88 0.48 36.86 43.36 41.82 44.20 44.78 44.03 46.40 45.52 49.17 48.52 0.42
20.86 21.63 0.30 23.95 21.85 22.59 21.05 20.62 21.12 19.96 20.25 18.56 19.58 0.52
17.47 18.24 0.22 20.67 18.14 18.32 17.90 17.57 17.75 17.27 17.59 16.47 16.65 0.58
46.77 48.35 0.34 59.98 52.14 54.01 48.47 45.80 46.56 41.93 42.72 37.92 40.59 0.63
38.61 40.64 0.26 56.08 41.83 43.79 40.56 39.26 40.31 37.24 38.63 33.50 34.31 0.66
23.74 23.10 0.22 16.25 20.05 18.90 22.38 24.40 24.23 27.52 27.31 30.38 28.65 1.14
27.78 26.64 0.24 16.18 25.22 23.50 26.30 27.20 26.28 29.13 27.93 32.80 31.87 1.16
53.23 51.65 0.26 40.01 47.86 45.99 51.52 54.19 53.44 58.07 57.28 62.07 59.40 1.45
61.39 59.36 0.30 43.92 58.17 56.20 59.50 60.74 59.69 62.75 61.36 66.72 65.68 1.26
525 510 11 300 440 400 470 520 485 591 525 705 675 26
560 546 8 321 460 410 480 540 500 599 526 720 695 25
M1: Black gram M2: Green gram
Number of flower shed
Flower drop (percent)
Number of pods formed
Fruitset (percent)
Grain yield (Kg ha-1)
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LEGUME RESEARCH
(1998) and Subramani and Solaimalai (2000). respectively. Lower pod number (16.25 and This treatment was on par with foliar application 16.18 during the respective years) and fruit set of Kcl 1percent + NAA 40 ppm + micronutrients (40.01 and 43.92 respectively) was recorded with + soil inoculation of PSB + SSB and these control (Table 1). treatments were significantly superior to all other CONCLUSION treatments. Application of NAA 40 ppm with The results of the study indicated that DAP 2percent at pre flowering and flowering the reproductive efficiency of blackgram like the reduced the flower drop percentage to 39.26 by number of flowers formed, number of flower preventing abcission layer formation compared shed, flower drop and fruit drop percentage were to control(56.08). hence it increased the sink significantly influenced by various foliar spray capacity for maximum yield potential. NAA treatments. The treatment with foliar application application @ 40 ppm along with any one of of DAP 2 percent + NAA 40 ppm + macronutrients had significantly increased micronutrients significantly increased the total percentage of fruit set by 6.33 and 2.57 per cent number of flowers formed per plant decreased during the respective years and 8.2 and 4.2 per the number of flower shed and flower cent compared DAP and Kcl spray alone drop percentage compared to control and respectively. The fruit set was further increased resulted in significant increase in number of pods by addition of micronutrients by 3.88 and 2.10 formed percentage of fruit set and grain per cent respectively and 3.84 and 2.67 yieldrespectively. REFERENCES Garcia, R. and Hanway J.J. (1986). Agron. J., 68: 653-657. Laksmamma, P. and Subha Rao. (1996). Ann. Agric. Res., 17: 320-323. Selim, M.M. (1992). Egyptian. J. Agron., 17(1-2): 141-154. Subramani, M. and Solamalai, A. (2000). Legume Res., 23(3): 197-198. Writer, S.K. (1986). Outlook Agric., 6: 205-217.
