Effect of foliar nutrition on growth, yield attributes and yield of rice fallow blackgram [vigna mungo]

A field experiment was conducted during rice fallow season 2012 under deep clay soil at experimental farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu to study the effect of foliar nutrition on growth, yield attributes and yield of rice fallow blackgram. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design and replicated thrice. The experiment comprised of nine treatments viz., control, seed soaking with different liquid organic manures alone and along with foliar application of jeevamrutha, panchagavya, vermiwash and cow urine. The results of the experiment showed that seed soaking with 3% panchagavya + foliar spray of 3% panchagavya twice (30 and 40 DAS) significantly recorded higher growth, yield attributes, grain and haulm yields of rice fallow black gram viz., plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter production (DMP), number of branches plant-1, pod length, number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, grain and haulm yields. Significantly lowest values for growth attributes, yield attributes, grain and haulm yield of blackgram was recorded under control. Based on the above results, it could be concluded that cultivation of rice fallow blackgram with seed soaking 3% panchagavya along with foliar spray of 3% panchagavya twice (30 and 45 DAS) will be a promising combination which would result in higher grain and haulm yield under Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu.