Vol. 8, Issue 12, Part E (2024)

A field experiment was conducted entitled as “Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on seed yield and seed quality of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L)” at Experimental farm of STR & QSP unit Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during Rabi season 2023-24 using Safflower var-‘PBNS-86’ to determine the effect different micronutrient treatment on growth and yield attributing characters in safflower seed replicated thrice in Randomized Block Design. The treatment consisted T₁-Control, T₂-Fe (FeSO₄) 4ml /lit, T₃-Zn (ZnSO₄) 3ml/lit, T₄-B (H₃BO₃) 3ml/lit, T₅-Mn (MnSO₄) 2ml/lit, T₆-Fe + B (FeSO₄+H₃BO₃) (4ml+3ml/lit), T₇-Fe + Mn (FeSO₄+MnSO₄) (4ml+2 ml/lit), T₈-Fe + Zn (FeSO₄+ZnSO₄) (4ml+3ml/lit), T₉-Zn + B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit). Different micronutrient treatments were conducted on safflower plot, among those treatments T₉-Zn + B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) followed by T₂-Fe (FeSO₄) 4ml /lit found significantly early days to maturity and 50 percent flowering as compared to the other treatment and over control. The micronutrients treatment T₉-Zn + B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) and T₈-Fe + Zn (FeSO₄+ZnSO₄) (4ml+3ml/lit) shows more plant height as compare to the other treatments and that of the control one. Highest number of primary branches were recorded in T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) and followed by T₈-Fe + Zn (FeSO₄+ZnSO₄) (4ml +3ml/lit) as compare to the other treatments. Highest number of capitulum per plant were observed in T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) treatment as compared to other. Among the different treatments’ micronutrient, treatment T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) found highest number of seed per capitulum. The data on 1000 seed weight shows that the treatment T₅-Mn (MnSO₄) 2 ml/lit and T₉-Zn + B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃). (3ml+3ml/lit) has more test weight. It is observed that treatment T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) shows highest seed yield followed by T₈ & T₇ as compared to other micronutrient and that of the control one. Among those treatments T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) has highest biological yield than other. Data on seed harvest index were shown that treatment with T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) has highest harvest index. It was observed that the treatment T₅-Mn (MnSO₄) 2ml/lit has highest germination percentage. It is observed that treatment T₃-Zn (ZnSO₄) 3ml/lit & T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) has highest seed vigor-I & vigor-II. It is observed that treatment T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) has highest SCMR reading both at 70 & 90 days than that of other micronutrient treatment and also than that of control one. Among all treatments, the treatment T₉-Zn+B (ZnSO₄+H₃BO₃) (3ml+3ml/lit) has highest oil content than other micronutrient treatments. The correlation analysis between seed yield per plant and its contributing traits under different micronutrient treatments revealed several significant relationships. Seed yield per plant exhibited a positive and significant correlation with plant height, number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitulum, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and number of primary branches. Traits like SCMR reading at 90 days and oil content had positive but significant correlations with seed yield, while negative significant correlations were observed with germination percentage. Days to 50% flowering positively correlated with days to maturity, number of primary branches, capitulum per plant, harvest index, and SCMR readings, while negatively correlating with plant height and germination percentage. Plant height showed a positive significant correlation with oil content but negative correlations with traits like harvest index and germination percent. Days to maturity was positively linked to traits like primary branches and SCMR readings at 90 days. The number of capitula per plant, seeds per capitulum and biological yield were strongly positively correlated with seed yield. However, seedling vigor traits showed negative correlations with most yield-contributing traits. Oil content showed significant positive correlations with seed yield-related traits but negatively correlated with germination. These relationships highlight the complex interplay between traits and how they influence seed yield under varying micronutrient conditions.