Efficacy of Zinc Sulphate and Boric Acid Foliar Application in Enhancing Growth, Yield, and Quality of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Kashi Anmol
Amit Kumar
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
Anand Kumar Singh
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
Anurag Mishra
Department of Horticulture (Vegetable Science), Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar- 813210, India.
Rupali Gupta
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
Ishita Sharma
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
Pawan Kumar Swami
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
Avneesh Rathour *
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P.- 221 005, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important spice and vegetable crop valued for its nutritional, economic and export significance. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effects of foliar applications of zinc and boron on the growth and yield traits of chilli cv. Kashi Anmol under Varanasi agro-climatic conditions. The experiment was carried out during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The study comprised nine treatments: zinc sulphate @ 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8%; boric acid @ 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8%; and a control (water spray), arranged in a Randomised Block Design with three replications. The results revealed significant improvements in the growth and yield parameters of chilli due to micronutrient application. Among the treatments, boric acid @ 0.4% (T₆) was the most effective for growth and yield attributes, recording the maximum plant height at 45 DAT (46.90 cm) and 60 DAT (72.07 cm), stem diameter (1.66 cm), number of primary branches (4.15 plant⁻¹), number of fruits per plant (256.07), fruit length (7.74 cm) and yield per hectare (219.49 q ha⁻¹). Zinc sulphate @ 0.4% (T₂) recorded the highest average fruit weight (3.12 g). The control treatment showed the lowest values for most parameters. The study demonstrated that foliar applications of zinc sulphate and boric acid enhanced physiological processes and nutrient utilisation, resulting in improved growth and productivity of chilli. Based on the findings, foliar application of boric acid @ 0.4%, followed by zinc sulphate @ 0.4%, can be recommended for obtaining higher yields and improved growth of chilli cv. Kashi Anmol under Varanasi conditions.
Keywords: Chilli, zinc sulphate, boric acid, foliar application, micronutrients, yield, quality, TSS, ascorbic acid