Effect of Organic Manure and Micronutrients on Growth and Yield of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Abstract

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is an important oilseed crop, and improving its productivity through balanced nutrient management is relevant to edible-oil production. A field experiment was conducted during the 2022-23 Rabi season at the Experimental Farm, Department of Agriculture, Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, to evaluate the effects of organic manures and micronutrients on growth and yield. The experiment comprised nine treatment combinations arranged in a factorial randomised block design with three replications. Organic-manure treatments included a control, farmyard manure at 10 t/ha and vermicompost at 5 t/ha; micronutrient treatments comprised ZnSO₄ at 25 kg/ha, FeSO₄ at 20 kg/ha and borax at 2 kg/ha. Growth parameters, including plant height, primary and secondary branches and dry matter accumulation, were recorded at successive crop stages. Seed, stover and biological yields and harvest index were assessed at harvest. Vermicompost at 5 t/ha generally produced the highest growth and yield values and was statistically at par with farmyard manure at 10 t/ha for most measured parameters. Among the micronutrients, ZnSO₄ at 25 kg/ha generally recorded the highest values and was statistically at par with borax at 2 kg/ha, whereas FeSO₄ at 20 kg/ha produced comparatively lower values. Interaction effects were non-significant for most parameters. The findings indicate that vermicompost and zinc sulphate individually supported improved growth and yield performance under the study conditions.