No Tillage Cultivation of Mustard Requires Definite Boron Dose for Optimizing Seed Yield

Abstract

Boron (B) is an essential plant nutrient which plays a key role during plant seed formation and quality seed development. No tillage (NT) or zero tillage mustard (Brassica sp.) production has already received remarkable attention by the farmers mainly due to time, cost effectiveness and profitability. Vast growers only apply NPK fertilizers and avoid boron (B) or other micronutrient fertilizers; which imbalances nutrient translocation, mobilization, utilization in plants and ultimately affects seed quality, yield and maturity duration. Considering this drawback, the present investigation was done to ascertain the role of B in attaining desirable seed yield of mustard in no tillage condition. Experiment was set during winter season (Rabi) at BINA Sub-station farm, Ishurdi, Pabna. A factorial RCBD with three replications were followed for the trial. Two varieties (V1: Binasarisha-9 and V2: BARI Sarisha-17) and six B doses (T1: 0 kg/ha, T2: 1 kg/ha, T3: 2 kg/ha,      T4: 3 kg/ha, T5: 4 kg/ha, T6: 5 kg/ha) were used as treatments. Data on yield and yield attributes were collected at different phenological stage and upon harvest. Findings depicted that, treatment combinations V1 × T4 beared maximum siliqua length (8.43 cm), highest seed yield (2.34 t/ha), straw yield (3.01 t/ha), 100 grain weight (HGW) (0.32 g) and days to maturity (90.67 days). V1 × T3 and V2 × T4 treatment combinations gave the greatest number of siliqua/plant (82.55) and number of seeds per siliqua (36.33). Contrary, least seed yield (0.82 t/ha) and number of seeds per siliqua (22.89) was recorded with combination in V1 × T1. Minimum number of siliquae per plant (21.37), straw yield (1.17 t/ha), days to harvest (82.00 days) and HGW (0.20 g) was found with combination in V2 × T1. Results obtained suggest that, B doses between 2 kg/ha to 3 kg/ha might be accurate with B responsive mustard varieties for achieving higher seed yield of mustard under NT.