Effect of Foliar Spray of Micronutrients on Yield and Benefit-cost Ratio of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) under Polyhouse

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted during the Kharif season 2023 at the Center of Excellence on Protected Cultivation and Precision Farming, IGKV, Raipur, (C.G.). The experiment was laid in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications consisting of twelve treatments. The treatments included viz. T0: Control, T1: FeSO4 (0.5%), T2: ZnSO4 (0.5%), T3: Borax (0.2%), T4: Ammonium Molybdate (0.03%), T5: FeSO4 (0.5%) + ZnSO4 (0.5%), T6: FeSO4 (0.5%) + Borax (0.2%), T7: FeSO4 (0.5%) + Ammonium Molybdate (0.03%), T8: ZnSO4 (0.5%) + Borax (0.2%), T9: ZnSO4 (0.5%) + Ammonium Molybdate (0.03%), T10: Borax (0.2%) + Ammonium Molybdate (0.03%) and T11: FeSO4 (0.5%) + ZnSO4 (0.5%) + Borax (0.2%) + Ammonium  Molybdate (0.03%). Foliar spray of micronutrients was done at 30 and 45 DAT of cauliflower. The results revealed that foliar application of treatment T11 recorded significantly maximum yield parameters such as curd diameter (13.22 cm), curd depth (9.26 cm), curd size index (122.66 cm2), total biomass production per plant (599.73 g), marketable curd weight (315.51 g), net curd weight (208.55g), yield per plot (6.94 kg plot-1) and yield per hectare (231.37 qha-1). In economics T11 incurred maximum total cost of cultivation (Rs. 263739.00 ha-1), gross income (Rs. 809800.44 ha-1), net income ( Rs. 546061.44 ha-1) and maximum benefit: cost ratio 3.07. In contrast, the minimum value for the above parameters were recorded under T1 (control).