Response of bidi tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to foliar nutrition with nitrogen and potassium under rainfed conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was undertaken at Regional Agriculture Research Station, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh during 2017-18 on vertisols under rainfed condition to study the response of bidi tobacco to supplemental nitrogen (N) and potassium (P) nutrient through foliar application. The treatments consisted of ten treatment combinations from three sources of nutrients (i.e. potassium nitrate (KNO3), ammonium sulphate + sulphate of potash (SOP) and urea + SOP) and three intervals i.e. foliar spray at 45 days after transplanting (DAT), 60 DAT, 45 and 60 DAT. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design and replicated thrice. Cured leaf yield of bidi tobacco was significantly higher when foliar application of 2.5% Potassium nitrate (KNO3) twice at 45 and 60 DAT (1713 kg ha-1) was at par with spraying of 2.5% ammonium sulphate + SOP at 45 & 60 DAT (1606 kg ha-1), 2.5% ammonium sulphate + SOP at 60 DAT (1550 kg ha-1), 2.5% ammonium sulphate + sulphate of potash (SOP) at 45 DAT (1512 kg ha-1), 2.5% Urea + SOP at 45 & 60 DAT (1508 kg ha-1) and 2.5% with KNO3 at 60 DAT (1503 kg ha-1). Higher leaf length (50.4 cm) and leaf width (20.5 cm) was observed with foliar application of 2.5% KNO3 twice at 45 and 60 DAT. Higher net returns (Rs 89,265/ha) and BCR (2.87) was recorded with foliar application of 2.5% KNO3 twice at 45 and 60 DAT.