Abstract :
A two year investigation was conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (ICAR- VPKAS), Kafligair- Bageshwar during 2016 and 2017 in peach cv. Red June with ten treatments viz., 375 g N per tree + 0.5 % CaCl2 (T1), 375 g N tree-1 + 1.0 % CaCl2 (T2), 375 g N tree-1 + 1.5 % CaCl2 (T3), 500 g N tree-1 + 0.5 % CaCl2 (T4), 500 g N tree-1 + 1.0 % CaCl2 (T5), 500 g N tree-1 + 1.5 % CaCl2 (T6), 625 g N tree-1 + 0.5 % CaCl2 (T7), 625 g N tree-1 + 1.0 % CaCl2 (T8), 625 g N tree-1 + 1.5 % CaCl2 (T9), 500g N tree-1 + Water spray (T10 control). The source of nitrogen fertilization was neem coated urea. The experimental findings revealed that maximum leaf nitrogen content was estimated under T9 (3.721% and 3.838% in 2016 and 2017, respectively), while maximum leaf phosphorus content was estimated under T1 (0.450%) in first and T3 (0.456%) in second year. During both the years, the maximum leaf potassium content was estimated under T2 (2.096% and 2.110% in 2016 and 2017, respectively). The highest leaf calcium content was estimated under T3 (1.735% in 2016 and 1.744% in 2017). Irrespective of nitrogen fertilization levels, highest calcium chloride concentration (1.5%) resulted in phytotoxicity which was evident by marginal leaf scorching. Significant differences for available soil nitrogen were found, while other studied nutrients did not differ significantly.
Keyword :
Nitrogen levels, Neem coated urea, Calcium chloride, Leaf, Soil nutrient status