Effect of Foliar Feeding of Gluconate and EDTA Chelated Plant Nutrients on Yield, Chlorophyll Content and Nitrate Reductase Enzyme of Bt Cotton under Rainfed Ecosystem of Marathawada

An experiment was conducted to find out the “Effect of foliar feeding of Gluconate and EDTA chelated plant nutrients on yield, Chlorophyll content and Nitrate reductase enzyme activity of Bt-cotton under rainfed ecosystem of Marathawada” at Department of Soil Science and Agril Chemistry, VNMKV, Parbhani. The experiment includes sixteen treatments viz,T1-control,T2-ZnGluconate, T3-Zn EDTA, T4-Mn gluconate, T5- Mn EDTA, T6- Cu Gluconate, T7- Cu EDTA, T8- FeGluconate ,T9- Fe EDTA, T10- CaGluconate, T11- Ca EDTA, T12-MgGluconate, T13-MgEDTA, T14- Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Ca and Mg Gluconate, T15-Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Ca and Mg EDTA and T16- Govt. grade II and replicated twice. The treatments were fertilized with 120:60:60 N,P2O5 and K2O Kg ha-1 .Micronutrient sprays of gluconate and EDTA chelated plant nutrients were applied to the crop at the time of flowering i.e. at 55 DAS and second spray was applied at the time of boll development stage i.e.at 75 DAS. The treatment T2 showed more number of bolls per plant followed by treatment T3. The maximum boll weight was observed with treatment Zn gluconate. Spraying of Zn gluconate, Zn EDTA and Fe and Mg gluconate nutrients have produced more seed cotton yield. Quantitative analysis of chlorophyll was done by using DMSO as an extractant. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content in leaves also influenced significantly due to different foliar feeding. The highest chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll was registered with the treatment Fe gluconate spray followed by Fe EDTA. Nitrate reductage and acid phosphate activity were improved by the application of T2 and was found to be significantly superior over control. This study was conducted under rainfed ecosystem.