Comprehensive Study on Growth and Yield Attributes to the Different Soil and Foliar Application on Annual Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.)

Abstract

An investigation on “Effect of organic amendments on growth and yield of annual moringa (Moringa oliefera L.) var. PKM 1” was carried out at Department of Vegetable Science, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Periyakulam, Theni, Tamil Nadu during 2022-2024. The study was undertaken with an objective to standardize the organic package practices, drying methods, packing materials and storage conditions of moringa value-added products. The experiment was conducted using a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications at the Western Block Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam. This investigation focused on the effectiveness of organic manures, including farmyard manure, poultry manure, vermicompost, goat manure, and foliar sprays of chitosan, orthosilicic acid, protein hydrolysate, seaweed extract and fulvic acid, in increasing the biomass yield of moringa leaves. From the experiment, it was evident that the growth parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of compound leaves per plant, light interception (%), and leaflet area were recorded maximum under the treatments S2 (enriched vermicompost at 5 t/ha), F2 (seaweed extract at 3%), and the combination of S2 and F2 (enriched vermicompost at 5 t/ha + seaweed extract at 3%). In contrast, the minimum values were observed in the treatment S5 + F6 (control + control in interaction effects). Among the soil application, the treatment S2 - Enriched vermicompost (5t/ha) showed best results in yield parameters such as fresh leaf yield per plant (312.70 g ), fresh leaf yield per plot (56.95 kg), fresh leaf yield per hectare (6.27 t/ha), dry leaf yield per plant(57.22 g), dry leaf yield per plot (11.64 kg), dry leaf yield per hectare (1.17 t/ ha) and fresh to dry leaf recovery % (5.44 %). In foliar spray, the treatment of 3% seed weed extract (F2) showed best results in yield parameters viz., fresh leaf yield per plant (314.01 g), fresh leaf yield per plot (60.28 kg), fresh leaf yield per hectare (6.36 t/ha), dry leaf yield per plant (53.09 g), dry leaf yield per plot (11.37 kg), dry leaf yield per hectare (1.24 t / ha) and fresh to dry leaf recovery % (5.51 %). The interaction S2 + F2 (enriched vermicompost (5t/ha) + 3% sea weed extract) recorded higher leaf biomass yield in moringa with 332.05 g fresh leaf yield per plant, 66.41 kg fresh leaf yield per plot, 7.37 t/ha fresh leaf yield per hectare, 66.81 g dry leaf yield per plant, 13.36 kg dry leaf yield per plot, 1.48 t / ha dry leaf yield per hectare and 5.78 % of fresh to dry leaf recovery.