• K.Dhanasekaran
• D.Elayaraja
• S.Srinivasan

Micronutrient disorders are commonly observed during the early stage as well as the full grown stage of cashew. Application of micronutrients as foliar spray was very effective in cashew as compared to soil application. Addition of humic acid with micronutrients improves the effectiveness of micronutrient foliar spray in crops. Foliar application of GA3 at pre blooming stage of cashew was established as an effective growth regulator in improving the yield of cashew.The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of foliar application of micronutrients enriched humic acid on growth and yield of cashew cultivar VRI-3 with the objective to improve nut yield. This experiment was carried out in a farmer’s field at periyakappankulam, Cuddalorer District of Tamil Nadu. The trial was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments consist of T1-control (water spray), T2-micronutrient mixture (0.5% ZnSO4, 0.5% FeSO4, 0.2% CuSO4, 0.5% Borax, 0.2% MnSO4), T3-Humic acid (0.5%), T4-GA3 (50 mg L−1), T5-T2+T3, T6-T2+T4, T7-T3+T4, T8-T2+T3+T4. The present study revealed that the combined application of micronutrient mixtures along with Humic acid and GA3 as foliar spray (T8) recorded the highest value for the characters namely average apple weight (61.6 g), number of fruits per tree (2025), average nut weight (7.50 g), 100 nut weight (672.6 g), yield per tree (17.66 kg tree-1) and nut yield (2.90 t ha-1), followed by the treatment T5, which recorded the average apple weight (59.86 g), number of fruits per tree (1956), average nut weight (7.38 g), 100 nut weight (666.6g), yield per tree (16.57 kg tree-1) and estimated yield per ha (2.78 t ha-1). Based on the nut yield, the treatments are arranged in dissenting order as T8>T5>T6>T2>T7>T4>T3>T1. However, the control (water spray) recorded the lowest value in all the traits.

cashew,micronutrients,humic acid,gibberellic acid

"EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF MICRONUTRIENTS ENRICHED HUMIC ACID AND GIBBERELLIC ACID ON THE FRUIT AND NUT YIELD OF CASHEW", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no.771-773, MAY-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805731.pdf

"EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF MICRONUTRIENTS ENRICHED HUMIC ACID AND GIBBERELLIC ACID ON THE FRUIT AND NUT YIELD OF CASHEW", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no. pp771-773, MAY-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805731.pdf