Effect of nutrient management on the yield and yield attributes of rainfed mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern. and Coss.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm of Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi during the rabi season of 2013-14 to study the effect of nutrient management on the yield and yield attributing characters of rainfed mustard (Brassica juncea L.). The experiment consisted of ten different treatment combinations of basal dose of fertilizers and foliar spray of 2% urea and 2% Multiplex. The study revealed that among various treatments the application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (40 kg N, 20 kg P2O5, 20 kg K2O and 20 kg S ha-1) along with foliar spray of 2% urea +Multiplex was most effective in producing higher yield (765 kg ha-1) and this was followed by 100% RDF + 2% Multiplex foliar spray alone (739 kg ha-1). Seed yield exhibited a significant positive correlation with siliqua plant-1 (r = 0.933**), siliqua length (r = 0.902**), seeds siliqua -1 (r = 0.717*) and 1000 seed weight (r = 0.901**). The regression analysis between siliqua / plant and seed yield was found to be linear in nature with an R2 value of 0.871 meaning 87.1% total variation in yield could be explained by the linear function of siliqua plant-1. Thus, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (40 kg N, 20 kg P2O5, 20 kg K2O and 20 kg S ha-1) along with foliar spray of 2% urea +2% Multiplex can be recommended to farmers for growing mustard in rainfed areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh.