Effect of boron and molybdenum on growth and yield attributes of cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae Var. Botrytis L) at Salyan, Nepal

Abstract

A research study was conducted to investigate the impact of varying levels of boron and molybdenum on the growth and yield parameters of the Silvercup-60 variety of cauliflower in the fields of Luham, Salyan during the winter season of 2022. The experiment comprised seven treatments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Each replication included seven treatments denoted as follows: T1 (Control), T2 (Borax @10 kg/ha), T3 (Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), T4 (Borax @10 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), T5 (Borax @10 kg + Ammonium Molybdate @2 kg/ha), T6 (Borax @20 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), and T7 (Borax @20 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @2 kg/ha), representing different doses of boron and molybdenum. Various growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, and leaf width, were recorded at intervals of 15, 30, 45, and 55 days post-transplanting, along with yield parameters such as curd diameter and curd yield. Notably, treatment T4 (Borax @10 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha) exhibited significantly superior curd diameter (19.03 cm) and yield (16.41 mt/ha) compared to the control group, while the control group yielded the lowest values for these parameters. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the application of boron and molybdenum at a rate of 10 kg/ha of Borax and 1 kg/ha of Ammonium Molybdenum is recommended for cauliflower cultivation in the Salyan district, as it leads to enhanced growth and yield of cauliflower crops.