Vol. 11, Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
Amit Raj and Goutam Mandal

Abstract:
An investigation was undertaken to find out the effect of different levels of beheaded heights and foliar spray of micronutrients on the growth of rejuvenated plants under high-density orchard of mango cv. Amrapali. Treatment consisted of six different beheaded heights viz. T₁- 80cm, T₂-100 cm, T₃-120 cm, T₄-140 cm, T₅-160 cm, and T₆-180 cm with two foliar sprays of micronutrients (just before flowering and fruiting) and replicated thrice in a split-plot design. Plant height, plant spread, canopy volume, shoot length, shoot girth, trunk girth, primary shoot girth, and secondary shoot girth were taken for observation. It was found that plants beheaded at 80 cm from ground level had a maximum percent increase in shoot length (18.13 cm), shoot girth (7.15 cm), trunk girth (0.58 cm), primary shoot girth (0.92 cm), secondary shoot girth (1.64 cm) and plant spread: north–south (6.45 cm).The maximum percent in plant height (9.36 cm) and canopy volume (22.26 cm) was recorded in plant beheaded at 180 cm. Foliar spray of 0.4% Zinc sulphate + Copper sulphate (0.2%) + Borax (0.2%) [2 sprays just before flowering and marble stage] exerted a significant effect on the increase in plant height (7.87 cm), plant spread –north-south (6.50 cm), east-west (7.97 cm), canopy volume (20.38 cm), shoot length (16.02 cm), shoot girth (6.38 cm), trunk girth (0.55 cm), primary shoot girth (0.85 cm) and secondary shoot girth (1.49 cm) while the interaction of beheaded height and foliar spray also showed a significant effect on the plant growth. The maximum percent increase in shoot length (19.97 cm), shoot girth (8.23 cm), trunk girth (0.63 cm), primary shoot girth (0.92 cm), secondary shoot girth (1.89 cm) and plant spread: north-south (7.65 cm) was recorded in T₁F₂, while the maximum increase in plant height (10.57 cm) and canopy volume (24.05 cm) was recorded in T₆F₂ and maximum increase in plant spread: east-west was recorded in T₆F₂ (8.81 cm). From the above findings, it can be concluded that plants with shorter height (80 cm) with some modification of micronutrients can result in higher growth of the plant.