Vol. 11, Issue 8 (2022)

Author(s):
Banavath Mahesh Naik, Sunita T Pandey, Subhash Chandra, Amit Bhatnagar, Rajeev Kumar and Navneet Praeek

Abstract:
In present agricultural practices, farmers are mainly dependent of external inputs which causes serious damage to our environment. With this theme, present investigation was focused on ancient (or) traditional practices that enhancing the growth and development of crop without hinder the environment by use locally available resources. The study was conducted during rabi 2020-2021 at D7 Block of Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India. The design used for experimentation was factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with additional treatment. In factor A, three herbal kunapajala concoctions (Nettle based herbal kunapajala (KJ₁), General weeds based herbal kunapajala (KJ₂) and integrated based herbal kunapajala (KJ₃)) and in factor B four doses (500 l/ha (D₁), 1000 l/ha (D₂), 1500 l/ha (D₃) and 2000 l/ha (D₄)) with control as additional treatment (N₁). Among herbal kunapajala concoction treatments, significant difference was noticed at 60 DAS and 90 DAS. The higher chlorophyll a content at 60 and 90 DAS was observed in KJ₁ (0.72 and 0.64 mg(g/FM)) as compared to other treatments. Similarly, total chlorophyll content and carotenoid were significant at 60 DAS (1.88 and 0.64 (mg(g/FM), respectively). D₄ recorded significantly superior values of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll and carotenoid at 60 DAS under doses treatments (0.71, 1.85 and 0.74 (mg(g/FM), respectively). The interaction effect was non-significant in all the parameters and crop growth stages. Among control versus rest treatment, control recorded significant difference of chlorophyll a (60 DAS), b (60 DAS), total chlorophyll (60 and 90 DAS) and carotenoid (60 DAS) as compared to rest treatment. Whereas, rest treatment recorded significantly superior chlorophyll a at 60 DAS. Based on the results, application of nettle based herbal kunapajala with 2000 l/ha will give higher chlorophyll content in mustard crop.