Effect of boron, zinc and molybdenum on growth and yield of red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra L.) cv. scarlet

Abstract

The research was conducted during the rabi season, from October 2024 to February 2025 in the Agriculture Research Farm, Binjhagiri, Chatabar, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (IAS), SOA Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, with the primary aim to assess the influence of micronutrient applications on red cabbage in the agro-climatic situation of eastern and south eastern coastal plain zone of Odisha. The experiment consisted of eight treatment combinations with three replications, using a Randomized Block Design. The data revealed that the treatment involving 0.5% boric acid foliar spray (T2) was overall better in most of the growth parameters such as plant height (At 45 DAT 41.85 cm and at 60 DAT 48.48 cm), number of leaves (At 45 DAT 15.73 and at 60 DAT 18.9), leaf area, leaf area index, leaf length, and leaf width, and yield contributing parameters head diameter (15.86 cm), fresh weight (1630.00 g/plant) and dry weight (42.72g). Again, the maximum yield was recorded from the treatment involving 0.5% boric acid (652.22 q/ha) followed by T3, which had 0.5% zinc sulphate (519.16 q/ha), and then 0.5% boric acid + 0.5% zinc sulphate (T5) (488.88 q/ha). The lowest treatment performance in terms of yield was recorded from the treatment involving 0.5% boric acid + 0.5% zinc sulphate + 0.5% ammonium molybdate (T8) with a yield of 319.44 q/ha. Hence, it can be inferred from the experiment that 0.5% boric acid as a foliar spray and 0.5% zinc sulphate, subsequently 0.5% boric acid + 0.5% zinc sulphate are considered the best treatments amongst the investigated treatments which can be recommended for commercial cultivation to the farmer's community for effective economic return in red cabbage.