Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Mustard green (Brassica juncea L.) is a popular green vegetable grown in the plains and hills of Northern India. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. The present investigation was conducted with an aim to study the effect of microbial inoculants and inorganic chemicals on growth, yield, yield contributing traits and disease suppression in two varieties of mustard green viz., Local (Hathikaan) and UHF VR 12-1 under open field conditions in mid hills of Uttarakhand. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design comprising nine treatments and one control with three replications. For the experiment, bio-agents (Trichoderma asperellum Th-14, Pseudomonas fluorescens Psf-4, and Bacillus subtilis Bs-2), fertilizers (Sulphur 800 WG and Boron), and the fungicide (Ridomil Gold) were used. With respect to plant growth and yield parameters, treatment T4 (Seed bio-priming with Th-14 + FYM pre-colonized by Th-14 + one drenching of Th-14 at 45 days of the transplanting) recorded the maximum chlorophyll content, leaf length, leaf width, leaf yield, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of siliquae per plant and seed yield followed by T7 (Seed dressing with Sulphur 800 WG + FYM + one foliar spray of Sulphur 800 WG at 45 days of the transplanting). Whereas, control recorded lowest with respect to all the studied growth and yield parameters. T4 showed minimum disease incidence (Damping off and Alternaria blight) and disease severity (Alternaria blight) followed by T9 {Seed treatment with Ridomil Gold (Metalaxyl 4% w/w + Mancozeb 64% w/w) + FYM + one foliar spray of Ridomil Gold at 45 days of the transplanting} whereas control (untreated check) revealed maximum disease incidence and severity. From the present investigation, it may be concluded that the application of seed bio-priming with Th-14 + FYM pre-colonized by Th-14 + one drenching of Th-14 at 45 days of the transplanting was found to be the most effective and promising treatment for enhancing growth, yield and resistance to damping off and Alternaria blight disease in Brassica juncea in both the studied varieties under open field conditions. However, the variety UHF VR 12-1 responded better towards the given treatments when compared with the local variety under present materials and environmental conditions.