Effect of foliar application of micronutrient mixture on yield, quality and major nutrient uptake by safflower

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2018 at Main Agricultural Research Station, Raichur on effect of foliar application of micronutrient mixture on yield, quality and major nutrient uptake by safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.).. The Experiment was laid out in Randomized complete block design with three replications and nine treatments. The results revealed that foliar application of Grade-I multi micronutrient mixture (Fe-2%, Zn-3%, Mn-1% and B-0.5%) at 30 and 50 days after sowing @ 10 ml/litre and soil application of RDF (75:75:40 and 80 kg ha-1 of NPK and gypsum, respectively) along with zinc sulphate @ 6 kg ha-1 has highest seed yield (1557 kg ha-1), stover yield (2478 kg ha-1), protein yield (336.16 kg ha-1), oil yield (434.30 kg ha-1) and harvest index (38.59%).The yield and quality parameters like test weight (6.42 g), oil content (27.90%), protein content (21.58%) and uptake of nutrients viz., nitrogen (118.07 kg ha-1), phosphorous (20.07 kg ha-1) and potassium (87.08 kg ha-1) and it was on par with the treatment receiving RDF(75:75:40 and 80 kg ha-1 of NPK and gypsum, respectively) and along with foliar application of Grade-I micronutrient mixture @ 10 ml/litre and was superior to other treatments. From the above experiment it is revealed that along with RDF supplying micronutrients in safflower through foliar nutrition is beneficial in terms of yield and yield attributes and quality parameters when compared to RDF alone.