Effect of soil and foliar application of silicon on growth, yield and quality of blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] grown under organic farming

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Effect of Soil and Foliar Application of Silicon on Growth, Yield and Quality of Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] Grown under Organic Farming” was conducted during kharif 2019-20 at Organic Farming Unit, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications and 20 treatments. The treatment combinations consist of five levels of silicon (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1) as soil application and four concentrations of silicon as foliar spray (0, 1%, 2% and 3%). The combined effect of soil and foliar application of silicon enhances number of pods (plant-1) and maximum number of pods (plant-1) as well as seed yield of blackgram was recorded with the soil application of silicon @ 100 kg ha-1 and foliar application of silicon @ 2%. Similarly, increasing the level of soil application with increasing concentration of foliar application of silicon enhances the net return and benefit cost ratio but significant increase in both were observed upto the foliar application of silicon @ 3% with control. However, Maximum net return and benefit cost ratio of blackgram was recorded with the soil application of silicon @ 100 kg ha-1 and foliar application of silicon @ 2% as compared to the rest of combination of treatments.