Vol. 19 No. 1
Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on plant growth, yield and fruit quality of Thai guava (Psidium guajava L.)
Author(s): T. MONDAL, T. SARKAR, M. ALAM, S. K. SARKAR, K. H. RATHOD AND F. K. BAURI
Abstract: The present experiment was carried out during 2019 and 2020 at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal to assess the impact of various micronutrients on plant growth, yield and fruit quality of Thai guava (Psidium guajava L.) of two years age during rainy seasons. The experiment was laid out in RBD with three replications. Nine treatments (T1=ZnSO4@0.3%, T2=ZnSO4@0.5%, T3=Na2B4 O7@0.2%, T4= Na2B4O7 @0.3%, T5= CuSO4@0.2%, T6= CuSO4@ 0.3%, T7= FeSO4@ 0.2%, T8= FeSO4@ 0.3%, T9= control-water spray) were imposed twice, first spray during flowering and second spray three weeks after first spray. Results of the study revealed that all the micronutrients significantly improved plant growth parameters, yield and fruit quality of Thai guava. ZnSO4 @0.5% was found to be the most beneficial treatment for plant growth parameters, fruit weight (264.98g), fruit length (8.19cm) and fruit diameter (7.14cm) which ultimately increased the yield tree- 1(6.08 kg tree-1). Various quality attributes like TSS (11.03 ºbrix), TSS/acid ratio (57.3), ascorbic acid (181.99mg 100g-1 pulp) total sugars (7.87%) as well as fruit set (69.56%) and number of fruits tree-1 (24.66) were improved and fruit drop and acidity (0.20%) were reduced with the foliar application of Na2B4O7 @ 0.3%. Therefore, it may be suggested that the application of micronutrients (ZnSO4 @0.5% and Na2B4O7 @ 0.3%) may be acclaimed for improving plant growth, yield and fruit quality of guava in the inceptisol of the Gangetic plains of West Bengal, India.
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