Effect of biostimulant foliar nutrition on the growth attributes of black gram (Vigna mungo L.)

Abstract

A plant biostimulant is any substance applied to plants with the aim to enhance nutritional efi¬ciency, abiotic stress tolerance and crop quality traits, regardless of its nutrients content. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of foliar application of PEPTO a plant based bio stimulant which comprises of plant extracts with low molecular weight peptides and natural polysaccharides on the growth and yield of black gram. Among the treatments, foliar application of PEPTO exhibited significant influence on the growth of black gram viz., plant height, LAI and DMP. The treatment recommended package of practice (RPP) with foliar spray of PEPTO @ 5.0 l ha-1 on 20-25 and 40 - 45 DAS significantly registered the highest growth attributes of black gram. The treatment viz., RPP with foliar spray of PEPTO @ 2.5 l ha-1 on 20-25 and 40 - 45 DAS stood next in order of ranking. The control - RPP with 2% urea spray at 50% flowering (40-45 DAS) recorded the least values in all these growth attributes of black gram.