Effect of pre-sowing seed treatment and foliar spray nitrate salts on growth and yeild of greengarm (Vigna radiata)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2002 to 2003 to study the effect of pre-sowing seed treatment with water soaking, 1% KCl, 1% KH2P04, 0.1% (NI-I4)6M07024 4H20, rhizobium culture and foliar spray of nitrate salts with 0.25% KN03, 0.50% KN03, 0.203% Ca (N03)2 and 0.406% Ca (N03)2 on growth and yield ofgreengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in Gangetic alluvial (Entisol) land at the experimental farm of the Calcutta University, Baruipur. Pre-sowing seed treatments improved growth and physiological parameters like leaf-area index, crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate; yield attributes and increase ofgrain yield' by 14 to 86% over the control re-sowing seed treatment with rhizobium culture and 0.1%(NH4)6M07024' 4H20 exerted most conspicuous effect on growth and yield attributes and thereby resulting in 86 and 61% increase in grain yield respectively over dry seed (control). Foliar spray of nitrate salts during 50% flowering stage showed beneficial effect on growth parameters, and yield attributes and recorded higher gram yield ranging from 7 to 23%. Among the foliar spray treatments, spray of0.406% Ca(N03 )2 and 0.5%KN03 exhibited maximum increase in grain yield by 23 and 19% respectively over the control. Pre-sowing seed treatment with rhizobium culture along with foliar spray of O.406°A> Ca(NO) proved .3 2 most beneficial in greengram production.