Abstract

                                A pot culture experiment was carried out with the redgram var. CO(Rg)7 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The soil used for the experiment was red, calcareous, sandy loam which belongs to the soil series Palladam (TypicUstropept). The experiment soil was medium in available N (285 kg ha^-1), high in available P (26.75 kg ha^-1) and K (287 kg ha^-1). The soil was deficient in DTPA-Fe (4.80 mg kg^-1), DTPA-Mn (0.25 mg kg^-1), DTPA-Zn (0.15 mg kg^-1), DTPA-Cu (0.22 mg kg^-1), and sufficient in hot water soluble B (0.75 mg kg^-1). The experiment was laid out with eleven treatments in a completely randomised design (CRD) replicated thrice to study the effect of foliar application of multinutrients on the yield, quality, uptake and soil nutrient status of redgram. In the treatments of foliar application with different combinations of complex, micronutrient and chelated micronutrient fertilisers at different stages, application of 0.5% KNO₃ + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray along with soil application of 100% recommended dose of NPK ( T₇) recorded the maximum value of yield attributes. Quality parameters such as seed protein content and seed total free amino acid content were enhanced by the foliar application of 0.5% KNO₃ + 2% DAP + micronutrient spray. Application of 100% RD NPK and foliar spraying of 0.5% KNO₃ + 2% DAP + micronutrient recorded the highest macro and micro nutrient uptake which was followed by the treatments that received 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% MAP + 0.5% KNO₃ + micronutrients and 100% RD NPK and foliar spray of 0.5% KNO3 + 2% DAP + chelated micronutrients. Availability of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B contents in soil at different stages was significantly influenced by the various foliar applications. The Chlorophyll ‘a’, ‘b’ and total chlorophyll contents were found to be the highest in the treatment that received 100% RD NPK + foliar spray of 0.5% KNO₃ + 2% DAP + micronutrients (T₇).

Key words : Foliar application, Yield attributes, Quality parameters, Chlorophyll content, Nutrient uptake, Soil nutrient status.