Vol. 11, Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
KH Sharathkumar, M Shivanna, Anil Kumar S, MK Honnabyraiah, GSK Swamy and Venkat Rao

Abstract:
The present investigation entitled that “Effect of foliar spray of potassium and micronutrients on growth, flowering and fruiting characters of papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Red Lady” was carried out in Farmer’s field at Basur village, Sorab taluk, Shivamogga dist, during the year 2018-2019. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replication and eleven treatments. Results reveal that the combined application of T₇ - K₂SO₄ at 1% + Borax at 0.25% + ZnSO₄ at 0.25% recorded significantly maximum growth parameters i.e. plant height (244.44cm), plant girth (44.72cm), number of leaves per plant (48.11), petiole length (97.33 cm) and plant spread from N-S direction (241.88cm) and plant spread from E-W direction (247.24cm) and flowering and fruiting characters like days taken to first flowering, days taken to first fruiting and days taken to first fruit maturity were significantly minimum (65.11 days, 90.22 days and 224.42 days, respectively) over control and which was on par with T₈ (K₂SO₄ at 2% + Borax at 0.25% + ZnSO₄ at 0.25%). Among the different micronutrient application, the treatment T₇ - K₂SO₄ at 1% + Borax at 0.25% + ZnSO₄ at 0.25% was found to be effective to improve the growth, flowering and fruiting characters of papaya cv. Red Lady.