Effect of different levels of boron and molybdenum on growth and yield of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under medium black calcareous soils of south Saurashtra region of Gujarat

Abstract

An field experiment was conducted at Net house, Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh during summer season of 2016 to evaluate soil application of boron and molybdenum and effect on growth and yield components of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under south Saurashtra region of Gujarat. The experiment comprising of five levels of boron viz., 0, 2, 4, 8 and 10 kg B ha-1 and three levels of molybdenum viz., 0, 1, 2 kg Mo ha-1 and experiment was laid out in Factorial Completely Randomization Design and replicated thrice. The results of the experiment revealed that the groundnut crop fertilized with 8 kg boron showed remarkably increased plant growth parameters viz., Plant height (23.30 cm), no. of pegs per plant (26.04), no. of nodules (91.57), nodule dry weight (0.231 g) and yield attributes viz., No. of pods per plant (10.55), shelling % (67.15), pod yield (19.75 g plant-1) were increased significantly when crop fertilized with 8 kg B ha–1 (B4). Application of 1 kg ha–1 (Mo2) molybdenum results maximum number of pegs per plant (21.78), No. of nodules (95.01), nodule dry weight (0.236 g), pods per plant (9.58), shelling % (68.89). Also higher pod yield (18.23 g plant-1), haulm yield (18.64 g plant-1) which were significantly higher than the control treatment.