Foliar Nutrient Application with Macro and Micro Nutrients Alters Yield and Total Antioxidative Capacity of Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Background: Plant nutrient deficiency is the major challenge in agriculture results in lower crop yield and quality. This may lower the farmer’s income by reducing marketable value. In other hand, eating nutrient dense vegetables is the most cost effective strategy to combat malnutrition. The efficiency of inorganic micronutrients applied into soils is low as they become easily fixed to soil particles. Hence, exogenous application of nutrients is an effective option to enhance plant nutrient use efficiency. Methods: This study was conducted at SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu during 2022-2023 to alleviate nutrient insufficiency challenges in bhendi variety Senora by using Randomized block design with seven different treatments viz., T1- Control, T2- Nutrient consortia 1 (N + K + B + Fe+ Mn + Zn @ 1% ), T3- Nutrient consortia 2 (N + K + Fe+ Cu + B @ 1%), T4- Nutrient consortia 3 (N + K + Mg + B + Fe + Zn @ 1%), T5- Nutrient consortia 4 (T2 + NAA + SA@ 1%), T6- Nutrient consortia 5 (T3 + NAA + SA @ 1%), T7- Nutrient consortia 6 (T4 + NAA + SA @ 1%), sprayed at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing. Result: Various physiological, biochemical, yield and quality parameters were measured to evaluate the effects of Nutrient consortia. The results of field experiment strongly improved that the eight biochemical parameters viz., chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a/b ratio, chlorophyll stability index, leaf soluble protein, lipid peroxidation by melondialdehyde and proline content. The yield and quality traits such as number of fruits per plant, total fruit yield, total phenolics and total antioxidants activity were significantly increased through application of Nutrient consortia 6 followed by Nutrient consortia 4. So this can be used as yield and quality enhancer formulation of bhendi crops.