Assessment Concerning the Role of Foliar Administration of Micronutrients on Growth, Yield, and Quality Characteristics of Vegetable Crops

Abstract

Vegetables are one of the main elements in terms of ensuring a person's food security and nutritional well-being. Integrated application of macronutrients coupled with adequate incorporation of micronutrients is one of the key factors for quality vegetable production. For ensuring maximum vegetable production with superior quality foliar nutrition is the better alternative in the era of climate change.  Foliar application is the easiest and most effective way to administer micronutrients as compared to other methods. Trace elements such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni) are essential for vegetable crops. The primary goal of this review article is to investigate the merits of micronutrients and the production potential of various vegetable crops through foliar nutrition. Additionally, this study aims to clarify the role of micronutrients in quality vegetable production. Several studies suggested that the exogenous application of micronutrients has a tremendous effect on overall growth and quality in a variety of crops. Many researchers have demonstrated that applications of Boron @250ppm significantly influenced the fresh weight of fruit, number of fruits per plant, number of seeds per plant, germination%, vigour index and root and shoot lengths of seedlings in sweet pepper. Various researchers also concluded that the application of Zn @1000 ppm + B @200 ppm + Mo @50 ppm provides a significant impact on head diameter, volume of head, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll total in cabbage.