Effect of various doses of basal and foliar application of nitrogen and potassium with trace elements on summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)

The present field study was carried out during summer season of 2020 and 2021 at Jaguli Instructional Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal to study the effect of solid and foliar grade of N and K along with trace elements in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with 3 replications. In main plot; F0, control; F1, 50% RDN and K; F2, 75% RDN and K and; F3, 100% RDN and K and sub-plot T1, Starter dose of N and K @2% with 10:20 ratio + micronutrient mixture of Fe, B, Zn and Mo foliar spray at 30 DAE; T2, Booster dose of N and K @2% with 5:40 ratio + micronutrient mixture of Fe, B, Zn and Mo foliar spray at 45 and 60 DAE; and T3, Starter dose + Booster dose. Growth and yield attributes of groundnut were significantly influenced by application of inorganic fertilizer and maximum were recorded with 100% of RDN and K. Foliar applications of RDN and K with a micronutrient mixture responded better at later stages (45 and 60 DAE) than at an earlier stage (30 DAE). Higher groundnut pod yield was obtained with basal application of 100% of RDN and K but performed statistically same response to the treatment 75% of RDN and K. The pod yield increased by 5–12% with each incremental dose of inorganic fertilizer, while it decreased in control. Booster dose of N and K gave higher pod and oil yield to starter dose. Maximum BCR of 2.38 and 1.99 was found in 100% of RDN and K and in booster doses of N and K. Inorganic fertilizer as basal and foliar application + micronutrients increased the groundnut pod yield but foliar application was not substitute to any quantity of inorganic fertilizer.