Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
Mutha Sravya, Vikram Singh and Shruti G George

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2020 at CRF (Crop Research Farm), Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The soil of the experimental field is sandy loam in texture, low in organic carbon and medium available nitrogen, phosphorus and low in potassium. The treatments consisted Nitrogen viz., 20 kg/ha, 40 kg/ha and 60 kg/ha and Zinc (through soil application) viz., 0 kg/ha, 10 kg/ha and 15 kg/ha whose effect is observed in Safflower (PBNS-12). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with nine treatments replicated thrice. The result revealed that the treatment with application of 60 kg N/ha + 10 kg Zn/ha recorded higher plant height (109.39 cm), number of branches/plant (22.13), dry weight (41.43 g), crop growth rate (4.99 g/m²/day), relative growth rate (0.0052 g/g/day), no. of capitulum/plant (26.13), no. of seeds/capitulum (31.33), test weight (39.66 g), seed yield (1.60 t/ha), stover yield (4.18 t/ha), harvest index (29.38%) and oil content (28.99%). The maximum gross returns (88,097.11 ₹/ha) and net returns (56,397.11 ₹/ha) and Benefit: Cost (1.78) also recorded highest in the treatment of 60 kg N/ha + 10 kg Zn/ha respectively.