Effect of soil and foliar application of zinc on zinc content and uptake by of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Effect of soil and foliar application of zinc on growth and yield parameters of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)” was conducted in the farmer’s field during kharif 2018. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised complete block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The results revealed that a day prior to spray, treatment which received 8 kg of Zn ha-1 through ZnSO4 as soil application along with RDF (150:100:125 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1) and FYM (25 t ha-1) has recorded significantly higher zinc content (46.56 mg kg-1) in cauliflower leaf. One week after spray, treatment T9 which received 4 kg of Zn ha-1 through ZnSO4 as soil application + 0.5 per cent Zn through zinc sulphate as foliar spray along with RDF (150:100:125 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1) and FYM (25 t ha-1) ­has recorded significantly higher zinc content(49.43%) in cauliflower leaf. Significantly higher zinc content in cauliflower leaves (35.16 mg kg-1) and cauliflower curd (39.34 mg kg-1) was recorded in the treatment T9 which received 4 kg of Zn ha-1 through ZnSO4 as soil application + 0.5 per cent Zn through zinc sulphate as foliar spray along with RDF and FYM at harvest. Significantly higher uptake of zinc (139.73 g ha-1) by cauliflower was recorded with the application of 4 kg of Zn ha-1 through ZnSO4 as soil application + 0.5 per cent Zn through zinc sulphate as foliar spray along with RDF and FYM followed by T8. Lower uptake of zinc of 63.77 g ha-1 was recorded in T1 (RDF + FYM).