EFFECT OF BORON AND MOLYBDENUM ON SEED PRODUCTION OF EARLY CAULIFLOWER (BRASSICA OLERACEA L. VAR. BOTRYTIS) CV PUSA KATKI

Abstract

An experiment conducted on early cauliflower cv Pusa Katki with four levels each of boron (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg Borax/ha) and molybdenum (0,0.5, 1.0and 1.5kg Sodium molybdate / ha) revealed that 10kg Borax/ha recorded the highest plant height, leaves per plant, leaf size index, primary branches, length of siliqua, seed yield and least days to bolting. Application of 15 kg Borax/ha resulted in the lowest incidence of browning, maximum number of siliqua per plant, number of seeds per siliqua and total seed yield. Among the molybdenum levels, 1.0 kg Sodium molybdate/ ha recorded the maximum number of leaves, primary branches, siliqua per plant, length of siliqua and total seed yield while the highest plant height, leaf size index, number of seeds per siliqua, seed yield, least number of days to bolting and minimum incidence of whiptail were recorded with 1.5 kg Sodium molybdate / ha. Combined application of 10kg Borax with 1.0kg Sodium molybdate/ha gave highest cost: benefit ratio of 1 : 5.16.