Growth and seed yield of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as influenced by zinc and boron micronutrients

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh during November 2019 to March 2020, to study the effect of Zn and boron on growth and yield of faba bean (Vicia faba L.). The experiment consisted with three levels of zinc (Zn) viz. 0, 1.0 and 2.0 kg Zn ha⁻¹ and four levels of boron viz. 0, 1.0 kg B ha⁻¹ , 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (basal application) + 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at pre-flowering stage) and 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at 30 days after sowing (DAS)) + 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at pre-flowering stage). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. In case of Zn, the highest plant height (67.9 cm), pods plant⁻¹ (33.3), seed yield (2.24 t ha⁻¹) and stover yield (2.55 t ha⁻¹) of faba bean was observed when fertilized with 1 kg Zn ha⁻¹, whereas the corresponding lowest values were recorded from control treatment. In case of B, the highest number of branches plant⁻¹ (6.51), pods plant−1 (39.1), seed yield (2.14 t ha−1 ) and stover yield (2.42 t ha⁻¹) were obtained from application of 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (basal application) + 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at pre-flowering stage). In interaction, the highest number of branches plant⁻¹ (7.22), pods plant⁻¹ (41.93), seed yield (2.46 t ha⁻¹) and stover yield (3.05 t hha⁻¹) were recorded from application of 1.0 kg Zn ha⁻¹ with 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (basal application) + 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at pre-flowering stage) whereas the lowest seed and stover yields were recorded from control treatment. Based on the present study, it can be concluded that application of 1.0 kg Zn ha⁻¹ coupled with 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (basal application) + 0.5 kg B ha⁻¹ (foliar application at pre-flowering stage) appears as the promising combination in respect of seed yield of faba bean.