Response of mungbean (Vigna radiata) to zinc and iron application through soil and foliar spray

Abstract

An agronomic investigation entitled ‘Fortification of Zinc and Iron through spray in mungbean (Vigna radiata)’ was carried out at experiment farm Agricultural Research Station, Badnapur, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidhyapeeth, Parbhani during kharif, 2023. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The soil was clayey in texture having 30 cm depth with moderate moisture holding capacity which was good for normal growth of the crop. The recommended mungbean cv. BM 2003-2 was used for this experiment along with these eight treatments. The treatment included with (T1) 0.5% ZnSO4-spray at flower initiation, (T2) 0.5% ZnSO4-spray at flower and pod initiation, (T3) 0.5% FeSO4-spray at flower initiation, (T4) 0.5% FeSO4-spray at flower and pod initiation, (T5) 0.5% ZnSO4 and FeSO4-spray at flower initiation, (T6) 0.5% ZnSO4 and FeSO4-spray at flower and pod initiation, (T7) 25 kg ha-1 ZnSO4-through soil application and (T8) 10 kg ha-1 FeSO4-through soil application. The gross plot size of experiment plot was 5.4 x 5.0 m2 and net plot size was 4.8 x 4.8 m2. The crop was sown by dibbling method at spacing 30 × 10 cm2. The results showed that growth parameters, including plant height, number of primary and secondary branches, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity, were significantly higher with the application of treatment (T6) 0.5% ZnSO4 and FeSO4 spray at both flower and pod initiation. This treatment performed similarly to (T5) 0.5% ZnSO4 and FeSO4 spray at flower initiation across different stages of mungbean growth. The lowest values were observed with (T1) 0.5% ZnSO4 spray at flower initiation.