Performance of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) as influenced by sulphur and zinc

Abstract

A field investigation was carried out during the Rabi season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 at NRCSS, Ajmer, Rajasthan, to study growth and yield of fenugreek as influenced by different levels of sulphur and zinc nutrients. Treatments -1 comprising of three sulphur levels (soil application of 20, 30 and 40 kg sulphur ha ) and three zinc levels (foliar application of 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 % zinc) were studied in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Non significant influence with respect to reduction in days to seed germination and days of flowering were observed due to higher dosage of sulphur. Similarly plant height at different growth stages after sowing was not significantly influenced with varying levels of sulphur. Number of primary and secondary branches, number of pods and seed yield was -1 affected significantly with different levels of sulphur. The highest number of primary branching plant (6.87) and -1 -1 number of pods plant (50.72) with maximum seed yield (1571.53 kg ha ) was obtained with soil application of 30 kg -1 ha sulphur. Different levels of zinc as foliar application did not influence significantly the seed germination, plant height at different growth stages and number of primary and secondary branches. However, it influenced significantly -1 the number of pods and seed yield of fenugreek. The highest number of primary branches plant (6.57), number of -1 -1 pods plant (51.80) and maximum seed yield (1544.43 kg ha ) were obtained with foliar application of 0.5% zinc. -1 Application of sulphur in the soil as basal dose @ 30 kg ha along with 0.5 percent zinc as foliar spray is better for realizing better plant growth, flowering, nodulation and maximum seed yield of fenugreek.